What is a portrait? How is it treated as a subject in photography? And how does this change the concept of portraiture? Patricia Drück presents a new perspective on the photographic portrait. The photographic image and the photographed body have become central symbols of contemporary culture. As a result, portrait photography takes on a new significance. Due to biotechnological and genetic developments, as well as the theories regarding the disappearance of the individual through new media, the portrait as a form of imagery is increasingly up for debate. The question of human identity and authenticity is therefore more pressing than ever. Using the photographs of Thomas Ruff, who emerged from the school of Bernd and Hilla Becher and is now among the most internationally renowned German photographers, Patricia Drück analyzes the staging of the human figure.