1) Similarities: The color scheme is pretty similar in each portrait, with the exception of the black-and-white photo. The background is darker colors, and the light falls on the person being painted. This not only makes them stand out in the portrait, but also implies that they are "good". They are the light among the darkness. There is a lot of red and gold used in both the furniture and clothing, which gives them a more regal look. Simon Bolivar, who looks more like Borat the more I stare at him, is also wearing white pants. He's clean, sharp, and neat. The perfect image for a leader - flawless. All of these men look strong, confident, and ready. What else could you want in a leader? I mean, one of them is sort of slumped over, but the sun still falls on him.
2) Why are they portrayed like this?: When people look at a leader, they don't want someone who's unsure, or unprepared, or wavering. They want a strong, determined fighter. They want a man who can get stuff done. All of the men are portrayed like this because it builds an immediate sense of trust. Nobody is going to look at them and think 'Gee, I don't know about this guy...' (except maybe Mr. Slumpy over there). They're going to say 'Wow! He must have been a great leader. Just look at his posture.' Despite what their actual accomplishments are, future generations are going to look back on them with respect, because they appear to have been great leaders.
3)Why do revolutions need leaders?: Most people are not leaders. People need someone to guide them in the right direction, set a good example, and create a path to follow. Without a leader, people start to scramble. They doubt. And usually a new leader steps forward, ready to take the reigns and guide people. People are heroic for all sorts of reasons. The thing that gets them the most recognition is their actions. If they do something radical - but not pointless - it will grab attention. It will make people want to learn why he was doing it. Then, once he's caught their attention, they learn the ideals behind the actions. So I guess everything is important - but the thing that gets noticed the most is actions. Everybody knows that Paul Revere rode his horse all night long, screaming about the British coming over. But he isn't remembered for his ideals, his opinions, or his deepest musings. The general public generally doesn't dig deep enough to get into that.
