Part 4: Project 6: The Head – Research Point – Artists who Work on the Face in Different Ways.

Historic Artists

Here is the great portrait artist of his time known as Peter Paul Rubens, he was famously known for his portrait drawings with colour mediums such as using red and black chalk, with white chalk for light areas in his portraits. Using these colours help to make the face have more forms and shapes.

You can see an example of Rubens’ drawing of his first wife Isabella in Fig. 1 “Drawing of Isabella Brant (c.1621-1622)“, below.

Fig. 1 Drawing of Isabella Brant, c.1621-1622

During the 18th century, an artist by the name Maurice Quentin de La Tour who was very brilliantly known for his drawings in pastels and chalks. His drawings show large interests in the way his mark-makings work well with the mediums. La Tour started bringing colour pastels into portrait drawings in a fresh and expressive way.

You can see an example of La Tour’s drawing of a female face in Fig. 2 “Madame Favart (Date Unknown)“, below.

Fig. 2 Madame Favart, Date Unknown

During the 19th century, there were a lot of portrait artists that used mixed medias and created portraits in different ways, such as the different techniques styles like the impressionists and realism style. But outstood was a great artist that we all may know as Edgar Degas, he is recognized for his pastel drawings of dancers and portraits. He showed great value in mixed colours and deep compression mark-makings.

Here we can see Degas pastel drawing of a male portrait depicting such striking mark-makings and out bursting colours, Fig. 3 “Zacherie Zacharian (1886)“, below.

Fig. 3 Zacherie Zacharian, 1886

Next is also Vincent van Gogh, whose artworks followed a very different way with opposite colours, he mostly painted his portraits in unusual striking bold colours with wonderful background patterns. His portraits also showed a lot of different marks and capturing light well.

Here we can see one of van Gogh’s portrait in Fig. 4 “Joseph Roulin (Early 1889)“, below.

Fig. 4 Joseph Roulin, Early 1889

In the early 20th century, there was a little known artist named Giovanni Boldini, who did quick sketches with water colour and pencils, just like mixed media style. His style was very different and striking expressive movements.

Here we can see Boldini’s water colour paint and pencil sketch of a lady, which I assume to be Consuelo Vanderbilt, the Duchess of Marlborough, Fig. 5 “Head of a woman, looking to the left (1906)“, below.

Fig. 5 Head of a woman, looking to the left, 1906

During the 20th century, there was a pop art culture movement that was inspired my Andy Warhol, who did a lot of abstract portraits. Bright, bold and explosive style in most of his pop art portraits.

Here we can see a pop art portrait by Warhol in Fig. 6 “Marella Agnelli (1973)“, below.

Fig. 6 Marella Agnelli, 1973

Contemporary Artists

Here is a great contemporary artist by the name Chuck Close, whose recognized for his large size portraits with different shapes, illusions and tones of mixed colours that end up looking realistic once finished.

You can see one of Chuck Close large interesting portrait in Fig. 7 “James (2002)“, below.

Fig. 7 James, 2002

Here is another favourite contemporary artist of mine, who has similar style to the other two artists Graham Little and Elizabeth Peyton, but this artist by the name Howard Tangye has more sensual feelings and delighted colours, created by mixed medias.

You can see one of Tangye’s artworks in Fig. 8 “A Stranger Came (2018)“, below.

Fig. 8 A Stranger Came, 2018

That’s the end of my research point so far.

List of Illustrations:

Fig. 1 Rubens, Peter Paul (c.1621-1622) Drawing of Isabella Brant. [Red and Black Chalk, White Heightening on Light Grey-Brown Paper] At: https://media.britishmuseum.org/media/Repository/Documents/2014_9/30_10/ba83b446_19cc_4d8a_8978_a3b600a8d59c/mid_00192303_001.jpg (Accessed 27/09/2020).

Fig. 2 La Tour, Maurice Quentin de (Date Unknown) Madame Favart. [Pastels] At: https://uploads8.wikiart.org/images/maurice-quentin-de-la-tour/madame-favart.jpg!HD.jpg (Accessed 27/09/2020).

Fig. 3 Degas, Edgar (1886) Zacherie Zacharian. [Pastels] At: https://arthistoryproject.com/site/assets/files/10621/edgar_degas_-_portrait_of_zacherie_zacharian_1886_pastel_impressionism_pc.jpg (Accessed 27/09/2020).

Fig. 4 van Gogh, Vincent (Early 1889) Joseph Roulin. [Oil on Canvas] At: https://www.moma.org/media/W1siZiIsIjQ2ODMxNiJdLFsicCIsImNvbnZlcnQiLCItcXVhbGl0eSA5MCAtcmVzaXplIDIwMDB4MjAwMFx1MDAzZSJdXQ.jpg?sha=5537528c46481603 (Accessed 27/09/2020).

Fig. 5 Boldini, Giovanni (1906) Head of a woman, looking to the left. [Conté Crayon, Red Chalk & Watercolour] At: https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2019/NYR/2019_NYR_16336_0098_000(giovanni_boldini_head_of_a_woman_looking_to_the_left071210).jpg (Accessed 27/09/2020).

Fig. 6 Warhol, Andy (1973) Marella Agnelli. [Synthetic Polymer & Silkscreen Inks on Canvas] At: https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2012/NYR/2012_NYR_02598_0116_000(andy_warhol_marella_agnelli031529).jpg (Accessed 27/09/2020).

Fig. 7 Close, Chuck (2002) James. [Oil on Canvas] At: https://az333960.vo.msecnd.net/images-6/james-chuck-close-2002-5463e3ed.jpg (Accessed 27/09/2020).

Fig. 8 Tangye, Howard (2018) A Stranger Came. [Mixed Media on Bockingford Paper] At: https://media.mutualart.com/Images/2019_03/26/08/084133681/c4fac19f-4a21-48fb-9ec5-350604b0570b.Jpeg (Accessed 27/09/2020).

List of Bibliographies:

British Museum (2020) Drawing At: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1893-0731-21 (Accessed 27/09/2020).

Wikipedia (2020) Maurice Quentin de La Tour At: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_Quentin_de_La_Tour (Accessed 27/09/2020).

Art History Project (2020) Portrait of Zacherie Zacharian At: https://arthistoryproject.com/artists/edgar-degas/portrait-of-zacherie-zacharian/ (Accessed 27/09/2020).

MoMA The Museum of Modern Art (2020) Vincent van Gogh, Portrait of Joseph Roulin At: https://www.moma.org/collection/works/79105 (Accesssed 27/09/2020).

Christies (2020) Giovanni Boldini (Ferrara 1842-1931 Paris) Head of a woman, looking to the left. At: https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/Lot/giovanni-boldini-ferrara-1842-1931-paris-head-of-6188387-details.aspx (Accessed 27/09/2020).

Christies (2020) Andy Warhol (1928-1987) Marella Agnelli. At: https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/Lot/andy-warhol-1928-1987-marella-agnelli-5624700-details.aspx#:~:text=(1928-1987)-,Marella%20Agnelli,40%20x%2040%20in. (Accessed 27/09/2020).

USEUM (2020) James Chuck Close 2002. At: https://useum.org/artwork/James-Chuck-Close-2002 (Accessed 27/09/2020).

MutualArt (2019) Howard Tangye, A Stranger Came 2018. At: https://www.mutualart.com/Artwork/A-Stranger-Came/C5D1DB138697C67E (Accessed 27/09/2020).