Thoughts on Portraits

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 164902

People are discussing portraits in various threads. I 
don't have a specific reply to any of those threads, but
I think there is an aspect of Portraits that people are
overlooking and it is that aspect that I want to point
out because I think it is important.

My theory on portraits, as has been posted here many
times before, is that they are like actors playing
a role on stage. For those who don't know, Hal Holbrook
does a one man stag show where he portrays Mark Twain.
Mr, Holbrook knows Twain inside and out, and when in
costume, he brings Mr. Twain back to life. 

But there is a limit. On stage, at personal appearances,
he portrays Mark Twain very accurately. He affects 
Twain personality to near perfection, but his only
wisdom is the written wisdom of Mark Twain. He can't
think orignal Mark Twain thoughts. There is a limit
to his depth of character.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hal_Holbrook

Now, let us look at the only two portraits we see 
outside Hogwarts that are not Headmasters. There is
the Healing Wizard that chases Ron through St. 
Mungo's telling Ron about his horrible skin affliction.
Not very fully realized. He is stuck tightly in his
role of a healer from a distant past. He is stuck
saying the types of things this healer would be likely
to say, and doing things he would likely do. But he
doesn't seem to engage in inteligent dialog they way
the headmasters do. He isn't completely draw. He is
not a character, but a caricature; a /cartoon/ of his
former self.

The second is Mrs. Black, no need to explain how 
unrealized she is. She is trapped in catch phrases and
is again not a realized character, but a caricature of
her former self.

Now we have the Headmaster's Portraits, these are more
realized. True they have the character and personality
of the people they represent, but they are able to go
beyond that, and there is a reason why these particular
protraits are not /cartoon/ versions of themselves 
relative to their character and personality. 

JKR has said in an interview that the Headmaster Portraits
are unique. The Headmasters leave an imprint of themselves
on Hogwarts. Some faint essense of who they were and what
they did there. That faint essense enhances their portraits
and gives them the power of dialog and conversation, and of 
thoughtful analysis. True they are not even remotely as
realized as their original selves, but they are far more
realized than the normal mundane portraits. 

Because of this, I think Dumbledore's portrait will be
of some help. He will be capable of limited analysis
and contemplation. He will not be as complete as 
Dumbledore, but neither will he be a /cartoon/ character
like Mrs. Black, The St. Mungo's Healer, or Sir Cadagon -
the Knight. If there ever was a cartoon character it is
Sir Cadagon. Why? Because Sir Cadagon was never Headmaster.
He was never as tightly and intimately tied to Hogwarts as
the Headmasters are. 

So, after this long winded rant, all I am really saying is
the we need to remember that Headmaster Portraits are MORE
than normal magical portriats. They have greater dept, but 
none the less, there is a very real limit to their depth.

For what it's worth.

Steve/bboyminn