Portraits As Documents: Historical and Humanistic Reflections.

The American Antiquarian Society increased the documentary value of its portrait collection by bringing together subjects of opposing political and religious views. The society always placed subject matter over artistic quality. As primary documents, portraits provide clues to the subject's interests, accomplishments, and experiences. Portraits also elicit sentiment by evoking images of dignity, loveliness, energy, and intelligence and can reveal the sitter's aspirations and achievements.