portraiture

noun

por·​trai·​ture ˈpȯr-trə-ˌchu̇r 

-chər, 

-ˌtyu̇r, 

-ˌtu̇r

1

: the making of portraits : portrayal

2

: portrait

Synonyms of portraiture

• portrait
• description
• portrayal
• depiction

Examples of portraiture in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

From cheeky shots of celebrities like Jane Fonda and Arnold Schwarzenegger to extravagant, sensual portfolios of America’s Olympic squads, the magazine’s pantheon of photographers have helped to define the genre of sports portraiture. —Erika Harwood, Vanity Fair, 30 Apr. 2026

Intriguingly, the 140 selections on view, ranging from vases to books, Buddhist figurines to landscape painting, literati desk accessories to official portraiture, look nothing at all like the art favored by European aristocrats arrayed elsewhere in the Art Institute. —Lori Waxman, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026

Neel defied the abstract expressionism of her contemporaries with a distinctive style of portraiture that exposed the psychological truth of her subjects. —Arts Editor, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026

In her photography, Akira expands the possibilities of portraiture through collage, pattern, and motion. —Heide Janssen, Oc Register, 15 Mar. 2026

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