The Vorbild in Donor Portraits and Cultural Psychology

This chapter explores how donor portraits, and particularly contact portraits, are illustrative of cultural psychological processes. We will examine how by engaging with a contact portrait we are “doing” cultural psychology. What is more, both the donor and the donor portrait can be understood as a Vorbild (a guide, a role model), in the sense that they catalyze the forward-thinking psychological engagement of the viewer in the present. It is argued that cultural psychology and the cultural psychologist can be similarly engaging, inviting the other into cultural explorations of their own. An example of such a Vorbild in cultural psychology can be seen in the work and person of Jaan Valsiner.