For as long as humans have been human, communities have immortalized individuals with specially commissioned works of art. The art's purpose is to honor men and women who achieved high status or made outstanding contributions to their societies. During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, it was fashionable for important people to have their portraits painted. In High Point, many notable individuals were commemorated in this manner. Because of the support these people gave to the life of the city, their faces have become part of the fabric of High Point's history. Some of these portraits were on exhibit in January 2013 at the Theater Arts Gallery in High Point.
