Comparing and Contrasting Kehindle Wiley's portrait of rap artist Ice-T and Ingres portrait of Napoleion what are their similarities and...

The power that is exuded in both portraits is easily
identifiable.  Both portraits show subjects that hold power.  This is represented by
their facial expressions, serious and driven to command respect.  This is also evident
in the grip of the scepters in each.  I think that the obvious difference is the subject
matter and what each represents from a social point of view.  Ice- T and his image is
contrasted sharply with Napoleon’s.  Ice- T lacks the laurels that Napoleon wears, ad
rather sticks to his black baseball hat.  The royal apparel is substituted for a cut-
off T- shirt and black high tops.  Napoleon’s sash on his right hand is replaced with
Ice- T’s bracelet of bling. Yet, what Wiley might be asking out of comparing both
portraits is to wonder if there is any real difference between the two men.  Both covet
power and represent it in their endeavors.  Ice- T speaks about as much as conquest in
his lyrics as Napoleon did.  Both live in a world where respect represented everything. 
In Ice- T’s world to not have reputation means bad things and Napoleon operated in much
the same way.  Both men exude masculinity and the idea that they are masters of their
domains.  In this comparison, Wiley is suggesting that what it means to be male in the
African- American world is not entirely different than what traditional conceptions of
masculine power have represented.