National Portrait Gallery

National Portrait Gallery
Images have the power to convey meaning without saying a word. Portraits in particular can provide a silent, but revealing look at the essence of a person's character. The National Portrait Gallery's online exhibit "Women of Our Time" -- www.npg.si.edu/cexh/woot -- provides intimate glimpses of some notable women of the 20th century.
The elegantly designed site, which features photos that appear in a traveling museum exhibit, profiles a broad spectrum of women from diverse fields of interest. From the movie industry, you can see a 1954 picture of Marilyn Monroe as she entertains U.S. troops stationed in Korea. From the field of architecture, there is a photo of Maya Lin, designer of the Vietnam War memorial in Washington, D.C., gazing out a window while a cat, perched on the window's ledge, places one of its paws on Lin's shoulder.
Each picture also comes with a caption the reveals the story behind the woman depicted and her cultural contribution to society. In many cases, the captions will help you appreciate the portrait even more.
In addition to documenting important women, the exhibit reveals how the art of portraiture has evolved and changed over the past century, allowing you to become familiar with its different styles.