Magical Portraits

I was wondering, if it is only magical paintings that have the ability to talk? Because the pictures that were photo's that Harry had of James and Lily only moved, not talked. And all the other pictures, like those in chocolate frog cards and in the Daily prophet only moved. But paintings like The Fat Lady talked. And did she only talk because she was painted of a person who once lived? And the portrait of Dumbledore, it was painted after he had died and then it could talk... and it seemed to have his knowledge too. How does that work? Did they have to be living while the portraits were painted in order for that to happen, or could like Carlotta paint a portrait of someone who had died in the Battle, and it would suddenly have their personality about it?

Thanks (:

Wow, only just saw this!

Okay, as far as I understand, a portrait has to be charmed in some way in order for it to be able to talk. I suspect that, as ALL the portraits at Hogwarts seemed able to talk, there was some kind of castle-wide charm in effect.

I have always assumed that photographs are something different and can only move, not speak - and they can be taken on a muggle camera and developed by a wizard and still move (as we saw with Colin in the second book).

Dumbledore's portrait, and the other headteachers: I kind of imagine them as a special case, a little bit like a benign horcrux in that they contain some part of the personality of the person they represent. That's not to say that portraits like the Fat Lady don't have a personality as well, but perhaps once a witch or wizard has been head for some time, a small part of their knowledge remains after they've gone. Personally, I like the idea that as the old head dies, they kind of appear in a blank portrait frame (have you seen Stardust? I'm thinking of how the brothers die and then reappear as ghosts a few seconds later, that kind of thing). I'm not sure if I'm entirely getting across what I'm trying to say here!

As for Carlotta painting someone - certainly she would be able to charm the portrait to move (Sam does this with his paintings all the time) but I doubt she would be able to have the picture talk or react any more than smiling and waving (and now I'm thinking of Madagascar... xD)

Once again, sorry for the delay in answering this, hope it helps a bit

Carys x

So then do we think that the Fat Lady, and Sir Cadagon or w/e were either HoHs or Headmasters/mistresses at one time?

No. As I said, I think of the Headmasters as a special case, and if the person has resided in that particular office for a good amount of time, when they die the portrait is imbued with a small part of their personality. As the Fat Lady and Sir Cadogan aren't portraits that appear in the Headmaster's office we can assume they weren't - besides, can you seriously imagine either of those in charge of anything more important than a portrait hole? xDD

Thanks Carys! That clears up a lot I was just thinking about it and I couldn't believe I'd never wondered about it before. Talking portraits just seem to be the norm :b

Just one last question in regards to the Fat Lady. Do you think she was once a real person and it's that persons personality she has, or that it blossomed from the artists imagination and her personality just grew the longer the portrait was 'alive'?

Thanks

Hmm, now that's an interesting one. DISCLAIMER - This is my personal view/speculation and NOT canon xD

I think she must have been a real person, because historically portraits were painted of models or specific people, rather than from the artist's memory. However I don't think her personality in the portrait (and personally I hate the Dawn French version of her xD) comes from life in the same way as Phineas or Dumbledore. What about this though - what if one of the castle ghosts knew the woman who had posed for the portrait, and recognised her when the portrait was hung there. I can just imagine Sir Nick (sorry Mike!) or the Fat Friar greeting the portrait when it was new...and what would you do if you were a portrait with no memories? Personally, I'd want to know all about the person I was painted of...and would you then try to behave and act as that person had done, or would you develop your own mannerisms? Interesting...

(hehehe - that gave me a lot of thoughts that had never occurred to me before!)

I'm actually really interested in this too. When I was little, and read the Philosopher's Stone, I wondered why Harry didn't just get someone to paint a picture of his parents so that he could talk to them. And I always wondered whether it would make a difference if the painter actually knew the subject, and then I wondered what would happen if it was a self portrait, and whether that would have any effect. When I got to Gilderoy I was really confused. XD

I'd always assumed that wizard's art moved, but not talked. Dieter, for example, loves to collect seascapes, because he enjoys watching the waves... but he hates the idea of things watching him, so won't buy portraits or landscapes with animals/people in them.

Pike paints, and his paintings begin to move when they are completed. I play that he uses magical paints, or at least muggle paints that have had some sort of magical treatment to make them magic. Then the painting 'comes to life' when he finishes it, but yeah.. they don't talk.. but he has interacted with someone in a painting in a thread...

I'm actually really interested in this too. When I was little, and read the Philosopher's Stone, I wondered why Harry didn't just get someone to paint a picture of his parents so that he could talk to them. And I always wondered whether it would make a difference if the painter actually knew the subject, and then I wondered what would happen if it was a self portrait, and whether that would have any effect. When I got to Gilderoy I was really confused. XD

HAHA yeah - I think we can just assume that Lockhart was such a narcissist he had all his portraits charmed so they could wave at him (I seriously doubt he could have painted himself - but imagine if he had!!). Probably his books were more expensive to account for the charmed paper that his his winking picture on the front too xD

I'd always assumed that wizard's art moved, but not talked. Dieter, for example, loves to collect seascapes, because he enjoys watching the waves... but he hates the idea of things watching him, so won't buy portraits or landscapes with animals/people in them.

Pike paints, and his paintings begin to move when they are completed. I play that he uses magical paints, or at least muggle paints that have had some sort of magical treatment to make them magic. Then the painting 'comes to life' when he finishes it, but yeah.. they don't talk.. but he has interacted with someone in a painting in a thread...

Yeah, that's pretty much what we had already said; with the talking portraits at Hogwarts being the exception rather that the rule. Sam charms his pictures when they're finished so they move; I guess it comes down to artistic preference.