People often ask if there is a best season, time of year, age or life event that means the time is right to have a portrait painted.
According to the distinguished American painter Marshall Bouldin III, there is no right time. A portrait should be painted anytime you want to capture the love and admiration you feel for someone at a particular time.
“People change constantly through life –each stage has its own peculiar warmth, beauty and charm; each will make an excellent portrait. We paint loved ones at the time in life that we want to remember them,” Bouldin said.
Many family portraits celebrate an anniversary, new home, birthday or other major life event.
When it comes to institutional portraits, most government, university or military commissions are timed to celebrate a new appointment, an election or the conclusion of a distinguished career.
It may be surprising to know that posthumous portraits are quite common as well. In these situations, a family or institution wants to commemorate the life of someone who died tragically or whose memory is being preserved with the dedication of a building, creation of a public garden or the establishment of a charitable organization.
So keep in mind that as Bouldin said, there is no right time to have a portrait painted. But we hope these examples of what we commonly see will be helpful.
Portraits, Inc. was founded in 1942 in New York on Park Avenue. Over its 70-year history, Portraits, Inc. has carefully assembled a select group of the world’s foremost portrait artists offering a range of styles and prices. Recognized as the industry leader, Portraits, Inc. provides expert guidance for discerning clients interested in commissioning fine art portraits.
