Portraiture in China

How can you tell if an image of a person is a portrait? What can a portrait reveal about a person? Is a portrait necessarily of a person? This course focuses on the genre of portraiture in China and examines different types of pictures, sitters, ideologies, and representations. We will question definitions of likeness and individuality, explore formal aspects of portrait making, and analyze how portraits function to create group identity or project power. Through close analysis of images in multiple mediums dating from ancient to contemporary times in China, the course will consider the ongoing meaning and power of portraits.