Modern Portraits

When looking at Modern Portraits, I instantly thought about film promo posters and how characters are shown in them. I then remembered the promo shots that were dispersed for 'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire' and thought these would be good examples to use. I only chose two portraits that stood out to me the most; the one of President Snow and the one of Katniss Everdeen. 

Both Images found here: http://www.film-blogs.co.uk/index.php?i=40117 

Although this portrait doesn't have any objects specifically added into the background that show his status, the way he is sitting and his clothes contribute to this instead. By not looking at the 'photographer' he looks like he is distancing himself from the viewer, as if he his above doing so- thus showing his power. Furthermore, the way in which he is sitting- by firmly placing his hands on the arms of the chair- almost creates the effect of a throne, again asserting this power that the character has. The chair itself shows his status, as it is covered in velvet and (what looks like) gold, both of which are symbols of wealth and stature, as only the rich would be able to afford them. 

One aspect I noticed about his clothes is the gloves that the character is wearing. The use of gloves, especially in Disney animation, is used to show deception and conceal the person's true nature. This is symbolic of his nature in the film, that he is lying to his people and concealing his true feelings and actions towards the other characters. The main colour scheme for his clothing is black and grey, with black having connotations associated with death, again representing his true character. The fur scarf that the character is wearing is another symbol that reinforces his status, as fur is quite an expensive commodity, so only the rich and powerful would be able to afford such a luxury. Another symbol that reinforces his status, is the rose that he wears. In Elizabethan times the 'Tudor Rose' would be symbolic of 'the right to rule', and the character wearing it in this portrait could be using this symbol in the same way- showing his people that he is their rightful leader. 

By placing Katniss next to the chair with her hand touching it, it could be seen as symbolic of her rise to power and overthrowing President Snow, with her status being higher than someone who would actually sit in the chair. However it could also be symbolic of someone being absent, and she will not sit in the place marked for them. There is an antithesis between her costume and the chair itself. She is dressed in an elaborate dress, whereas the chair is very plain and wooden. This could be symbolic of her changing status throughout the film, and where she began to where she is now- someone who is still associated with a lower class who would sit in the chair but branching out to a higher class through the elaborate dress. 

The use of the white dress could be seen to be symbolic of innocence, which white is usually associated with, and is a contrast between the darker colours used in the portrait of President Snow. A further connection between the two portraits is made through the use of the rose. By having her lightly holding the rose instead of her wearing it, it could show the power and hold that President Snow has over her, as it is his symbol. 

On the dress is the subtle symbol of the Mockingjay, which is an important symbol throughout the whole film of the rebellion, so that even though the characters may still be controlled by President Snow (the Rose) they are still subtly fighting back (the Mockingjay).