Artists create portraits that convey expression and evoke emotions. When viewers engage and interact with portraiture, they often form an empathic connection that helps to create meaning and to appreciate multiple perspectives. How do viewers engage and interact with portraiture? How do their associations impact their reception and interpretation?

Through portraits in the MFA’s collection, engage in close looking strategies and open-ended inquiry approaches that explore how portraits can evoke empathy, uncover different points of view, and reveal the complexities of reception. This empathic connection between viewer and art object enriches the viewer’s engagement, personalizes their experience, and deepens the object’s meaning.

Susan Barahal, senior lecturer, Department of Education, Art Education, Tufts University and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston