#02152 Realism & Postimpresionism

The portrait presents a man facing forward, his gaze directed towards the viewer with an unsettling intensity. The artist has employed a vibrant palette dominated by greens and yellows, which create a somewhat jarring effect against the subjects pale complexion. Brushstrokes are loose and expressive, contributing to a sense of immediacy and emotional turbulence.
Here we see a deliberate distortion of facial features; the eyes appear disproportionately large and fixed, while the mouth is stretched into an exaggerated smile that seems more akin to a grimace. This manipulation of form suggests a psychological complexity beyond a simple representation of likeness. The hair, rendered in dark, swirling strokes, frames the face and adds to the overall feeling of agitation or perhaps even madness.
The man’s attire consists of a patterned jacket with a prominent tie and a single rose pinned near his lapel. These details introduce elements of formality and aesthetic appreciation, yet they are undermined by the chaotic energy of the paintings execution. The rose, in particular, offers a poignant contrast – its beauty juxtaposed against the subject’s unsettling expression.
The background is largely abstract, composed of vertical brushstrokes that echo the contours of the figure while simultaneously creating a sense of confinement or isolation. The signature appears at the bottom right corner, rendered in a style consistent with the paintings overall aesthetic.
Subtly, the work seems to explore themes of identity and perception. The exaggerated features and unsettling gaze invite questions about the subject’s inner state and the nature of representation itself. It is not merely a portrait; it is an exploration of psychological depth conveyed through expressive brushwork and deliberate distortion.