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Originally Posted by Mike McCarty
What exactly is a figurative painting and how does it differ from a portrait?
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This discussion made me think immediately of the Burton Silverman painting entitled "Mannone" at this link:
http://www.totalartsgallery.com/arti...Silverman.html
I have admired this painting many times, and feel like I can almost describe the personality of the sitter. Just today I came across the link above. I had always assumed the painting was a commissioned portrait by a sitter with excellent taste and sensitivity to the artist's instincts. If I had my own portrait done, I'd like it to picture me in my natural habitat, being myself. I wasn't surprized to learn that it was a figural work, but I was a little disappointed. There aren't enough portrait clients who would encourage an artist to explore their sitter like this.
Anyway, Mike, I suspect that you asked the question with full knowledge of the difference between figurative works and portraits, but you either wanted to open a discussion on the genres, or you want to pinpoint a definition, which would be elusive.
I would say a figurative work has two elements: anonymity, and sitters pictured in their environment. Neither of these are hard and fast rules, and exceptions abound, but it's as good a definition as I can come up with.