Person of Interest

Portraiture is about a lot more than what first meets the eye. Whether it is abstract or virtually photographic, placed in a traditional setting or strangely situated, it tells a story, with a subtext, about the subject’s identity. Self-fashioning, sexuality, status, all go into the making of a portrait. In this exhibition, the Sheldon explores these themes in art pulled from its holdings. Works are by John Singer Sargent, Grant Wood, Catherine Opie, Cindy Sherman, Kehinde Wiley, and more. —E.C.