A portrait is generally seen as a representation of human features, whether it's the face, head, shoulders, or the entire body. It has always been an important subject in the visual arts and a favorite among artists who found in it not only a well-rewarded professional genre, socially appreciated for its symbolic or commemorative value, but also an exciting opportunity to investigate the human condition from a physical and, most importantly, a psychological perspective.

This latter aspect tends to dominate today, as photography has significantly undermined the function of the painted portrait as the sole method of reproducing an individual's physiological features and passing them on to future generations.