Place: Municipal Post Office
City: Phnom Penh
Head of State: King Norodom Sihamoni, King of Cambodia
Photographer:
Unknown, stolen from Webshots.com,
user name "2004pnh."
heads of state on the wall
I recently purchased a book entitled "Official Portraits," by Klaus Zwangsleitner. The book, as the title suggests, is a collection of "official portraits" of all 191 heads of state of the world. Flipping through it's pages offers an interesting look at the style of portrait photography used to depict some of the world's most powerful men and women.
However the book only told half the story, in my opinion. While the portraits themselves are certainly significant, I believe what is just as significant is seeing how these portraits are displayed.
Every country in the world takes portraits of their nation's head of state for a reason, and that is to display the portrait in a place where the public may see it. Portraits of leaders are not only a symbol of political authority, but also of the continuity of the state. Where and how the portrait is displayed can sometimes offer interesting insight into that nation's particular attitude towards leadership, authority, and government.
I know I have a fair amount of international readers who visit this site. My plea to you is simple. Take a picture of somewhere where a portrait of your nation's head of state hangs, and email it to me at wart_mamu@yahoo.com. Be sure to tell me where you took it, and I'll post it on here with the others.
the gallery
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Country:
Cambodia Place: Municipal Post Office City: Phnom Penh Head of State: King Norodom Sihamoni, King of Cambodia Photographer:
Unknown, stolen from Webshots.com,
user name "2004pnh." |
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Country:
Canada Place: McGill Public Library City: Burnaby, British Columbia Head of State: Queen Elizabeth the Second, Queen of Canada Photographer:
J.J. McCullough |
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Country:
Canada Place: Spirit of British Columbia ferry boat City: Victoria, British Columbia Head of State: Queen Elizabeth the Second, Queen of Canada Photographer:
J.J. McCullough |
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Country:
China Place: City: Head of State: Hu Jinatu, President of China (shaking hands with various other officials) Photographer:
Vanessa Ng |
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Country:
Chile Place: Viña del Mar Police Station City: Viña del Mar Head of State: President Ricardo Lagos (right, portrait on left is General Alberto Cienfuegos, Commander-in-Chief of the Police) Photographer:
Jorge González |
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Country:
Belgium Place: The Green Room, Belgian Senate City: Brussels Head of State: King Albert the Second, King of the Belgians Photographer:
J.J. McCullough |
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Country:
Luxembourg Place: Post office City: Luxembourg City Head of State: Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg Photographer:
J.J. McCullough |
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Country:
Netherlands Place: Airborne Museum Hartenstein City: Arnhem Head of State: Queen Beatrix, Queen of the Netherlands (with Prince Claus, her husband and Prince Consort) Photographer:
J.J. McCullough |
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Country:
North Korea Place: Subway car, Head of State: Kim Jong Il, "dear leader" of North Korea (with father, the late Kim Il Sung, President of North Korea) Photographer:
Artemii Lebedev |
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Country:
New Zealand Place: Head of State: Queen Elizabeth the Second, Queen of New Zealand Photographer:
Lewis Holden |
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Country:
United Kingdom Place: Lord Provost of Aberdeen's dining chamber, Old City Council City: Aberdeen, Scotland Head of State: Queen Elizabeth the Second, Queen of Great Britain Photographer:
Peter Vine |
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Thailand Place: Suansanuk Primary School City: Khon Kaen Head of State: King Rama the Ninth, King of Thailand Photographer:
Keith Ikw |
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Country:
United Kingdom Place: Lord Provost of Aberdeen's dining chamber, Old City Council City: Aberdeen, Scotland Head of State: Queen Elizabeth the Second, Queen of Great Britain Photographer:
Peter Vine |