Graduation Thesis "Images of Friends" . Contemporary portrait paintings in the works of European women artists. Collection of works inspired by relationships and people.

Abstract {\clqq}Images of Friends`` Contemporary portrait paintings in the works of European women artists Collection of works inspired by relationships and people The graduation thesis is divided into two main parts. The first one deals with the contemporary portrait paintings of European women artists; the second one concerns the ideological and technical aspect of their work. In the theoretical part of the thesis I am concerned with the diverse conceptions of portrait painting of the European women artists from the 2nd half of the 19th century until now. I have highlighted the factors which define the changes in topicality and character of the portrait painting of the artists. Within this context I have traced the influence of emancipation of the artists on their work, the influence of the visual media on the portrait genre itself, the diverse conceptions of portrait painting arising from respect to traditions of the genre or diversion from the traditions. The text also contains self-reflective parts connected to the work itself and supplementary material concerning the technical side of the work. The practical part of my thesis comprises documentation of a collection of twelve portraits