portraiture

noun

por·​trai·​ture ˈpȯr-trə-ˌchu̇r 

-chər,

-ˌtyu̇r,

-ˌtu̇r

1

: the making of portraits : portrayal

2

: portrait

Synonyms

• definition
• delineation
• depiction
• description
• picture
• portrait
• portrayal
• rendering
• sketch
• vignette

Examples of portraiture in a Sentence

The museum is exhibiting portraiture from the late 19th century.

Recent Examples on the Web

Born in 1929 in Ghana, Barnor’s decades-long career crossed studio portraiture, photojournalism, and lifestyle photography. —Zac Ntim, Deadline, 6 Mar. 2025

De Heem and Luis Meléndez, portraiture by Sir Thomas Lawrence and Frans Hals, and a landscape by Francesco Guardi. —Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 28 Feb. 2025

Impressions of the week: Art left its mark — Erdem’s collaboration with Kaye Donachie brought portraiture to fabric, S.S. Daley channelled Francis Cadell’s brushwork and Roksanda reinterpreted Phyllida Barlow’s sculptural language into volume and form. —Tianwei Zhang, WWD, 25 Feb. 2025

Princess Kate and each of the young royals put their own artistic spin on family portraiture. —Terry Dickerson, NBC News, 17 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English purtreiture, portratowre, portrature "representation by painting or drawing, the art of painting or drawing," borrowed from Anglo-French purtraiture (also continental Old French pourtraiture), from purtrait, past participle of purtraire "to represent, depict" + -ure -ure — more at portray

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1