Chapter 2 Summary: The Portrait by Danielle Steel
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
The day after Patrick Taylor’s funeral, Charles Taylor visits his father’s bank offices. He feels liberated from his father’s lifelong criticism and informs employees he will sell the house. At an informal board meeting, elderly board member Mrs. Baker insists Charles sit for a formal portrait to hang with those of his ancestors. Charles dismisses the idea as arrogant. He returns to his Palo Alto office then heads home to Atherton. His wife Faye is at work, son Liam is preparing for a solo trip to Europe, and Charles leaves for New York City that same afternoon on his private jet. In New York, he meets old business-school friend Ted Baker, who takes him to a gallery opening for artist Devon Darcy. Charles is stunned by the portraits, which feel alive with emotion. In the crowded entrance, he is pressed against a red-haired woman with hypnotic green eyes; he later learns she is the artist. He takes a gallery folder, and throughout dinner with Ted he cannot stop thinking about her. That night, convinced he must see her again, Charles decides to commission a portrait—not for the board, but to meet Devon Darcy once more.
Key Events
- Charles handles his father’s estate and confirms he will sell the house.
- The board welcomes him as chairman; Mrs. Baker demands he sit for a portrait.
- Charles travels to New York on his private plane, completing work en route.
- He meets Ted Baker, who invites him to an art opening.
- At the gallery, Charles notices a red-haired woman with green eyes during a crowd crush.
- He examines Devon Darcy’s portraits and is deeply moved.
- Ted identifies the woman as the artist; Charles takes a promotional folder.
- Over dinner, Charles is distracted and declines Ted’s business deal.
- Back at his apartment, he resolves to hire Devon for a portrait so he can speak with her.
Character Development
Charles Taylor
This chapter deepens Charles’s interior life. Released from his father’s shadow, he feels “free” for the first time. He is blunt, honest, and controlling yet fair—traits seen in his business dealings and his handling of the house sale. His marriage is distant: he does not say goodbye to Faye or Liam before leaving. In New York, the chance encounter with Devon awakens a raw emotional response he has never experienced. The portraits show him that art can capture authentic human connection, something missing from his own life. His decision to commission a portrait is a departure from his earlier dismissal of the idea, signaling a willingness to pursue meaning.
Liam Taylor
Liam is presented as a well-adjusted, independent young man. He gets excellent grades, rarely causes trouble, and his parents provide minimal supervision. His excitement about exploring European architecture contrasts with his father’s single-minded focus on business.
Ted Baker
Ted serves as a foil to Charles. He is recently divorced, eager for the single life, and reveres Devon Darcy’s work as a status symbol. He represents a path Charles might have taken if his marriage had ended. Ted’s enthusiasm for the art opening pushes Charles into a transformative experience.
Devon Darcy (first glimpse)
Although only seen briefly, Devon is established as a magnetic presence. Her “piercing green eyes” and “exotic Oriental perfume” leave a lasting impression. The portraits reveal her ability to capture the soul of her subjects—a quality Charles feels in his own brief contact with her.
Themes, Symbols, and Motifs
Portraiture as Emotional Revelation
The chapter contrasts two kinds of portraits: the stiff, pompous paintings of Charles’s ancestors and Devon’s vivid, intimate works. The traditional portraits symbolize inherited power and lifeless tradition. Devon’s portraits are described as “alive,” teeming with “raw emotion.” They reveal deep secrets and bonds, suggesting that true portraiture is a collaboration between artist and subject.
Freedom and Release
Charles’s father’s death removes a lifelong source of criticism. He can “breathe” for the first time. This freedom extends to his professional life as he takes the chairman’s seat and to his personal life as he travels alone to New York. Yet he remains trapped in an empty marriage and a routine of work and isolation. Devon’s art offers a different kind of liberation—emotional awakening.
Disconnection in Marriage
Charles and Faye lead separate lives. They do not say goodbye, communicate only through secretaries, and their marriage is one of convenience rather than love. Ted notes that Charles was never “madly in love” with Faye. This disconnection drives Charles’s hunger for genuine connection, which he senses in Devon’s work.
Fate and the Spark of Connection
The moment Charles and Devon are pressed together in the crowd feels fated. The narrative stops; the world goes silent. The electric current Charles feels is both physical and emotional. This motif of a destined meeting recurs in romance narratives and sets the stage for the central relationship of the novel.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 2 is the hinge of the story. It transitions from Charles’s old life—bound by duty, family expectations, and a hollow marriage—to a possible new life defined by emotional honesty and artistic truth. The chapter introduces the core conflict: will Charles pursue the authentic connection he felt with Devon, or retreat into his familiar, controlled existence? The board’s portrait demand also creates a narrative lever: Charles must obtain a portrait, and his personal desire to see Devon aligns with that obligation. This chapter establishes the novel’s central romance and thematic tension between tradition and transformation.
Study Questions and Answers
1. How does Charles’s reaction to his father’s death shape his actions in this chapter?
Charles feels relief rather than grief. He immediately starts selling the house and taking control of the bank. His father’s criticism no longer haunts him, freeing him to make independent decisions—including the impulsive choice to commission a portrait. This emotional release allows him to be open to the unexpected connection with Devon.
2. Contrast the two types of portraiture presented in the chapter. What do they represent?
The portraits of Charles’s ancestors are described as “pompous” and “stuffy,” symbols of tradition, power, and a distant, judgmental past. Devon’s portraits are intimate, emotionally charged, and reveal the subject’s inner life. They represent authenticity, vulnerability, and the power of art to create genuine bonds. The contrast highlights Charles’s choice between a life of inherited convention and one of personal meaning.
3. Why does Charles decide he must have a portrait painted despite his earlier refusal?
At first, Charles refuses the board’s request because he associates formal portraits with his father’s arrogance. After seeing Devon’s work, he realizes that her art is different—it captures the soul. More importantly, the brief encounter with Devon herself has left him “haunted.” He decides to commission a portrait not for the board, but as a way to meet her again and recapture that electric moment of connection.