Here’s Looking at You, Kid
A Basic Guide to Portrait Analysis Based on a List of Questions
Used by Art Historians in Analyzing Portraiture

Describe the subject:
Gender and approximate age: __________________________________________________________

Clothing:__________________________________________________________________________

Pose (standing, sitting upright, relaxed, sprawled out, lying down, active):__________________________

Does the subject appear to be looking at the viewer or at something else? If something else, at
what is the subject looking? ____________________________________________________________

How does the subject’s gaze make you feel about the subject? _________________________________

What kind of expression does the subject have? ____________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

If you could ask the subject a few questions, what would they be? _______________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

If the subject could talk to you, what would he or she say?_____________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

Describe the type of the portrait:
Full-length, half-length, 3/4 length or bust (head and shoulders only)?______________________________

Sunday best’ or a relaxed portrait? What are the clues? (clothes, pose, expression, setting)
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

Describe the setting or background:_______________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

Is the background a backdrop (as in a modern-day photographer’s studio or most school
photos) or a specific place? _____________________________________________________________

Describe the artist’s style:
If a painting, is the portrait created to resemble a photograph? ____________________________________

If the painting is not completely realistic, what parts are not realistic? How does the lack of
realism make you feel?_________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

What colors stand out in the painting? _____________________________________________________

Other:
Does a particular feature stand out or catch your eye?__________________________________________

What objects are included in the painting? Why do you think they were included? What do
the objects lead you to think about?________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________

Summary:
What do you think this portrait was supposed to make you believe or feel about the subject?
How do you feel about the subject? Do you think you would like/admire the person if you
could meet?__________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

Here’s Looking at You, Kid: Portrait Analysis Worksheet Page 2
© 2001 National Endowment for the Humanities. Educators may reproduce this worksheet as needed for classroom use. http://edsitement.neh.gov