Portraiture occupies a central position in the history of Western art. It has been the most popular genre of painting and has been crucial to the construction and articulation of individualism. Despite this, its status within academic art theory is uncertain and there is no adequate critical analysis of the subject available. With an international team of specialists, including Patricia Simmons, Ludmilla Jordanova, John Gage, Marcia Pointon and Ernst Van Alphen, this volume provides a much-needed, comprehensive and up-to-date introduction to the major issues in the history of portraiture. The...