Magical portraits are common in the wizarding world. The subjects of portraits can speak to and with people on the outside, and they can move into other portraits in the same building, as well as visit their own portraits in other places. Some pure-blood wizards think that Muggle portraits are weird, because they do not move.
Portraits vs. photographs
Beings in painted portraits are capable of talking and providing advice. They are not sentient beings, however; more like an "echo" of the person they represent. The portraits of past Headmasters at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry are bound to help the current Headmaster. A portrait of a Headmaster appears in the office after their death.
Portraits are different than the moving photographs seen in the wizarding world. While photographs also move, the people in them are only that which they were when the picture was taken. Meaning they cannot converse with people outside their photos, cannot move from their photos, and are not aware of events happening outside their photos. They are essentially in the isolated world of their photograph.
Travelling in portraits
The Fat Lady hiding in another portrait.
Apparently, only a single portrait-being of an individual can exist, and they must spend turns among different framed portraits of themselves only with which they are linked. For example, Phineas Nigellus Black, who has a painting in the Headmaster's office in Hogwarts and at 12 Grimmauld Place. In 1997, Hermione took Phineas' portrait from 12 Grimmauld Place and placed it in her small, beaded bag and carried it with her during their travels.[1] Later, Harry, asked the portrait of Phineas Nigellus if it was possible to bring Professor Dumbledore from his portrait in Hogwarts to the portrait from Grimmauld Place, but Phineas Nigellus angrily answered that the portraits of Hogwarts may commune with each other, but they cannot travel outside the castle except to visit a painting of themselves hanging nearby.[2] The limited distance is unknown, but it appears that the portraits must be hung adjacent on the same wall for this travelling to be possible. However, the Fat Lady travelled quite a distance when her portrait was torn by Sirius Black as she took to hiding in another portrait much higher up on the Grand Staircase.
Known portraits
Headmaster portraits
- Albus Dumbledore
- Ambrose Swott
- Armando Dippet
- Basil Fronsac
- Dexter Fortescue
- Dilys Derwent – Linked to St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries in London.
- Eoessa Sakndenberg
- Everard – Linked to the Ministry of Magic.
- Heliotrope Wilkins
- Newton Scamander
- Phineas Nigellus Black – Linked to 12 Grimmauld Place in London.
- Quentin Trimble
- Severus Snape
- Vulpus
- Walter Aragon
Behind the scenes
- In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, it is established that at least some portrait subjects have the ability to move between different portraits, at least within Hogwarts. After her portrait is damaged, the Fat Lady vacates it, and a search of other portraits is ordered (and she is indeed found hiding in one nearby). In a deleted scene, Sir Cadogan is also shown moving from portrait to portrait, even to the extent of flirting with a female portrait.
See also
Notes and references
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Chapter 12
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Chapter 15
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game) - PC version