The second meaning of the term is given as: “Something which represents, typifies, or resembles the object described or implied a type a likeness.” This definition is now rare, but it reflects a broader use of “portrait” beyond images of individual humans that is still prevalent in theoretical work on representation (see further below).
Other definitions that appear in the OED allow for figural renderings not exclusive to human representation. Also, an engraving, photograph, etc., in a similar style.” A variant for sculpture also appears: “A statue (full size or as a bust), an effigy. The first, and most common, echoes Wikipedia: “A drawing or painting of a person, often mounted and framed for display, esp. The intent is to display the likeness, personality, and even mood of the person.” The more rigorous Oxford English Dictionary (OED) gives several distinct definitions for “Portrait,” each with its own variants. “A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expression is predominant.
Wikipedia provides a good example of the common understanding to which these roots have developed. The word “portrait” comes from the Latin “portrahere,” translated as “to drag out, reveal, expose.” (Walker, 16). This article includes an etymological examination of the word and its various definitions, a consideration of several different interpretations of the portrait with historical examples, and a discussion of some of the issues that have developed in media studies around the idea of portraiture. “Portrait” is a term used to classify a wide range of representations, but its meaning depends greatly on the context of its use.
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