Hanging on the walls of galleries around the world are hundreds of works titled Portrait of A Girl. But what is the purpose of a Portrait of A Girl? What should she do and who is she for? These are the questions that writer Claire Marie Healy explores in Girlhood.

"Expressions of girlhood are shaped by art and visual culture as much as they are represented by them. Claire Marie Healy explores this relationship, guiding us through the making and meaning of girlhood in Britain's national collection of art. She traces the journey of "the girl" in art, from a silent subject of portraiture to a self-expressive creator of self-portraiture. By studying the images that are made, shared, and collected by girls today, Girlhood invites us to readdress patriarchal art historical narratives and explore contemporary expressions of girlhood/s."--Provided by publisher.