portrait
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portrait
An artistic representation of a person, for example a painting, photograph, or drawing, in which the face is the focus.
Die Künstlerin malte ein beeindruckendes Portrait des alten Mannes.
The artist painted an impressive portrait of the old man.
portrait
A detailed description or characterization of a person, group, or thing, often in media such as film or text.
Der Dokumentarfilm ist ein gelungenes Portrait einer vergessenen Generation.
The documentary is a successful portrait of a forgotten generation.
Alongside the spelling 'Portrait', the form 'Porträt' is more common in German today and is recommended by Duden. Both variants are understood, but in modern texts you will more often see the version with 'ä'.
Das Museum stellt verschiedene Porträts aus dem 19. Jahrhundert aus.
The museum is exhibiting various portraits from the 19th century.
When referring to an artistic representation, German usually uses the preposition 'von' with the dative to name the person depicted.
Ich habe ein Portrait von meiner Großmutter malen lassen.
I had a portrait of my grandmother painted.
In an artistic context, 'Portrait' is often combined with verbs such as 'malen' (to paint), 'zeichnen' (to draw), 'fotografieren' (to photograph), or 'anfertigen' (to produce/make).
Der Fotograf hat ein sehr natürliches Portrait von dem Kind angefertigt.
The photographer made a very natural portrait of the child.
In the meaning of a description in the media, the preposition 'über' with the accusative is often used. Signal words here are 'Film' (film), 'Artikel' (article), or 'Dokumentation' (documentary).
Der Artikel ist ein kritisches Portrait über den einflussreichen Politiker.
The article is a critical portrait of the influential politician.
profile
For a person, Profil focuses more on characteristic traits, areas of focus, and background. Portrait usually offers a more detailed and more carefully crafted characterization. Profil suits a brief analysis, while Portrait is appropriate for a detailed portrayal in the media.
Das Magazin druckte ein Portrait der Sängerin mit ihrem Lebensweg und ihren persönlichen Erinnerungen.
The magazine printed a portrait of the singer covering her life story and personal memories.
Das Magazin druckte ein Profil der Sängerin mit ihren musikalischen Schwerpunkten.
The magazine printed a profile of the singer highlighting her musical areas of focus.
