The Art and Science of Portraiture

"The writing is beautiful, the ideas persuasive, and the picture it paints of the process of careful observation is one that every writer should read. . . . A rich and wonderful book." —American Journal of Education A landmark contribution to the field of research methodology, this remarkable book illuminates the origins, purposes, and features of portraiture—placing it within the larger discourse on social science inquiry and mapping it onto the broader terrain of qualitative research.

The Author ix Acknowledgments xi Introduction: The Frame xv Chapter One: A View of the Whole: Origins and Purposes 1 Chapter Two: Perspective Taking: Discovery and Development 19 Chapter Three: On Context 39 Illumination: Framing and Terrain 41 Implementation: Setting the Site 60 Artistic Refrain: Priming the Canvas 74 Chapter Four: On Voice 83 Illumination: Expressing a Point of View 85 Implementation: Defining the Lens 106 Artistic Refrain: Negotiating Perspective 124 Chapter Five: On Relationship 133 Illumination: Navigating Intimacy 135 Implementation: Delaring Boundaries 160 Artistic Refrain: Representing Rapport 175 Chapter Six: On Emergent Themes 183 Illumination: Searching for Patterns 185 Implementation: Naming Convergence 215 Artistic Refrain: Defining Form 232 Chapter Seven: On Aesthetic Whole 241 Illumination: Shaping the Story 243 Implementation: Composing the Narrative 261 Artistic Refrain: Achieving Balance 275 References 283 Index 289