Portraits are one of the oldest genres of painting known to art, and it first appeared in ancient Egypt. For several centuries, there was a tendency to idealize features in order flatter important patrons for whom the portrait was for. Then, progressively, artists started to turn to ordinary people for their sitters, with fewer requirements limiting their choices, they were able to paint increasingly realist works.
Portraiture was influenced by the many movements of the 20th century and, rather than getting closer to reality, painters used portraits as a means to experiment with new artistic techniques and theories. Photography and sculpture followed a similar path, thus showing the incredible creativity and interpretation of artists.
Today there is an enormous variety of unusual portraits that don't aim flatter their sitters in the least but rather be expressive. Disfigured faces, surprising collages, distorted human forms and even creatures that are half-human, half-animal: there are no rules and creativity flows!
