#10712 Salvador Soria

The artwork presents a portrait study rendered in pastel on paper. Here we observe a male figure depicted from the chest upwards, facing directly toward the viewer. The composition is dominated by a stark contrast between the subjects gaunt features and the cool blue background.
The artist employed an expressive style characterized by elongated proportions and distorted facial features. The eyes are particularly striking; they possess a piercing, almost unsettling quality due to their size and intense blue hue. They appear detached, conveying a sense of introspection or perhaps even melancholy. The nose is prominent and angular, contributing to the overall impression of severity. Lips are thin and compressed, suggesting restraint or suppressed emotion.
The subject’s hair falls in dark, straight strands around his face, framing it with a somber quality. A reddish-orange garment covers the upper torso, providing a small area of warmth against the predominantly cool palette. The artists use of pastel allows for a range of tonal variations, from deep browns and blacks to lighter shades that suggest subtle modeling of form.
The background is not rendered with detail; instead, it serves as a flat plane of blue, which intensifies the focus on the subject’s face. This simplification contributes to an atmosphere of isolation and psychological intensity. The signature appears in the lower left corner, executed in a cursive script that adds another layer of personal mark-making to the work.
Subtly, there is a sense of vulnerability conveyed through the figures exposed posture and the direct gaze. It’s possible to interpret this as an exploration of inner turmoil or a meditation on human fragility. The deliberate distortion of features moves beyond mere representation; it suggests a deeper psychological probing, hinting at anxieties or existential questioning.