• Name: A Young Girl Reading • Name: President Barack Obama • Name: Self Portrait

• Artist: Jean-Honore Fragonard • Artist: Kehinde Wiley • Artist: Chuck Close

• Medium: Oil on Canvas • Medium: Oil on Canvas • Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
• Date: c. 1770 • Date: 2018 • Date: 2004-2005
• Size: 81.1*64.8 cm • Size: 234.3 × 167.2 cm • Size: 259.1 x 214.6 cm

President Barack Obama - Kehinde Wiley - GOOGLE Arts & culture. (n.d.). Retrieved Chuck close: Self-portraits 1967-2005. (n.d.). Retrieved February 14th, 2021, from
Young girl reading. (2017, July 19). Retrieved February 14, 2021, from
February 14, 2021, from https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/president-barack- https://walkerart.org/calendar/2005/chuck-close-self-portraits-1967-2005
https://www.artble.com/artists/jean-honore_fragonard/paintings/young_girl_reading
obama-kehinde-wiley/kgGqONkp0JVsCA?hl=en
 Influences: brushwork, a lightness of touch, and the
Artist Context Fragonard personally studied under the ease of handling the details of reality in both
Fragonard was a representative of Impressionism as a movement is supervision of Francois Boucher, one of the painters.
the Rococo period's later phases, a like Rococo in that it focuses on Rococo ancestors and one of the 18th
period marked by hedonistic brief sensations of elegance, century's leading design artists.
liberation and a visually appealing sudden sensations, and enjoyment.
interpretation of all things. The Boucher Fragonard's elegant use of tones
Rococo period originated from the Even though Fragonard vanished and subtle though playful subject matter is
Racaille French art movement, from art history for a period just evident to have studied. And paintings or
meaning 'decorative shell and rock after Uprising, his playful aesthetic mythological scenarios attempted to render
work'. reappeared years back with a Boucher subtly erotic. The artists exchanged
different generation of clients and then both of them were French
It derived mainly from the style of impersonators, and there was a court's favourites.
architecture and furniture that was reinterpretation of Fragonard and
common in France throughout the other Rococo artists to the end of
bourgeois and new rising wealthy the 19th century.
class who desired works that
strengthened their wealth and
enjoyment throughout all their
beauty.

In indulgent Rococo decor, In Fragonard's portraits, the fast and nearly

influenced by the ideals of the chaotic painting style can be recognized as
French Enlightenment until the the impact of The Baroque artist Rubens,
French Revolution started along the whom he respected a lot. Fragonard's rose-
Palace of Versailles was the vision. tinted depictions are moreover evidently
Rubenesque. This is followed by the
Fragonard had many supporters harmony of shade and the golden tone of
and had a significant impact on lighting, all reflected in Fragonard's artworks.
future artists, especially the Frans Hals
Impressionists, as a painter of the
domestic scene, the rural scenery Many of the most influential Dutch portrait
and boudoir painting with its half- artists and one of the impacts of Fragonard,
amorous eroticism. especially regarding his paintings, was Frans
Hals. We can see free, surrealistic
Young girl reading. (2017, July 19). Retrieved February 14, 2021, from
https://www.artble.com/artists/jean-honore_fragonard/paintings/young_girl_reading
Artist Context
About his application of conventional Renaissance art styles (wide scale canvases and glamorous
In 1977, Kehinde Wiley was born. He is a portraitist postures taken from Old Master paintings), Wiley's portrait paintings were innovative in depicting men
centered in New York and he is a citizen of Los and women of skin tone as influential and deserving of exhibiting in galleries.
Angeles. In very heroic, majestic like postures, he is
often recognized for his extremely detailed artworks His upbringing as a young black man in America had a great impact on his artistic career. Wiley's
of brown skinned individuals. Experts claim he is artworks are a vital record of the strength, fashion, resilience and beauty of the African American
recognized to be a racist because the artworks he community in the USA at a time when young black men are relentlessly reviled in the mass media,
does were a strong white man wherein he swaps for and sometimes even killed on the roadway by abusive police.
a resolute segment of a guy of African-American
origin. The artworks of the old masters influenced
him. With his responsive, colourful, and political depictions of black folk, spanning from adolescents he
encounters on the sidewalks, to contemporary artists, but also recent President Barack Obama,
Kehinde Wiley is a young African-American artist who is very simply transforming the group or
individual of portraits.

Through his naturalism, vividly illustrated portraits of young black men, many with romantic floral
settings, Wiley gained a reputation for himself. His expressive and vivid paintings question the
preconceived notions of audiences of the subjects, with black masculinity frequently portrayed as
associated with terror and aggression in the USA, and introduce young men and people of colour into
the galleries in which they are so vastly underdeveloped.

Wiley speaks of portraits and the "field of

power" relating to the fact people's
depicted portraits demonstrate that they
have been strong, but also the artworks
have the ability to give authority to others
who are painted in this manner,
transforming conventional portrait painting
inside out.
Kehinde Wiley. (n.d.). Retrieved February 14, 2021, from
https://www.skny.com/artists/kehinde-wiley Kehinde Wiley: Portraits with power. (n.d.). Retrieved February 14, 2021, from
https://art.scholastic.com/pages/archives/articles/kehinde-wiley-portraits-with-power.html
 CLOSE, Chuck. (n.d.). Retrieved February 14, 2021, from https://debellefeuille.com/artist/close-chuck/
Artist Context
A modern American artist, Chuck Close is renowned for his tremendous A compelling contrast to the strong, knowing
paintings of his relatives and friends. He tends to work from huge photos look of the older Close as illustrated in this
of his topics in Polaroid. At a point while abstract art seems to be all the 1997 self-portrait is the casual look of this
trend, he enabled to revitalize the art of portraits. His previous artworks young man in the other Self-Portrait. The
were drawn in a Photorealist genre in black and white. He is impacted by correlation, indeed, shows the transformation
a diverse range of methods and techniques, from Pop Art to ancient from a young artist to an important symbol.
Roman mosaics, to cubism. His works of art are indeed a delicate The 1990s Self-Portrait also illustrates how
combination of the picture's truly representative, abstract and conceptual abstraction has begun to take a more
characteristics. His recent artwork makes use of the grid in the significant position in the artworks of Close's
composition as a framed structure. especially in comparison to the previous
portraits.
Close implied that a switch to an earlier genre of art, or realistic portrait
paintings, may be a realistic direction for the growth of a painter, coming By a broad variety of methods and materials,
of age at a period when Abstract Expressionism was still a huge player in such as acrylics, watercolors,
the world of art and for others, a very impairing one. sketching, printmaking, montage, oil,
photography, CYMK color separations,
His important legacy to his fingerprints. A appropriate element for his
countless devoted fans and creative process is any unit that can be
successors has been this replicated progressively, including his
intellectual pillar of Close's fingerprints that have been printed over and
artwork. In the avant-garde art over again to construct the picture of 'Philip'.
world, the concept of
portraiture and the grid,
continuous theoretical artwork,
have played a very important The present form of artwork by Close started with his 1981 pastel portraitures. Close’s
role after the 1970s. juxtaposition of vibrant shades within each square of the grid is extracted from these
artworks, a technique analyst Christopher Finch has brightly coloured responded to as a
"pimiento-stuffed olive." The soft handling of the pastels' colour and texture reflected in a
vibrant, vivid texture that Close retains with his more recent artwork. Close's form of portraits
Boucher, B. (2016, January 12). Supreme court DECLINES artist has also developed more to abstraction with further complex shades and mark-making
ROYALTIES APPEAL. Retrieved February 14, 2021, from
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/supreme-court-declines-
compositions, rendering its credibility all the more striking to many elements of the
artists-resale-royalty-appeal-406106 photographic form.
Formal Qualities Composition:
Fragonard reveals the composition of the portrait with an
Use of space: aesthetic attraction that uses the geographical framework
There is a clear contrast between the chair in the background and is contrasted with the soft curves
that is in the middle right of the artwork. and ruffles in the foreground and the girl herself. It also
The solid mass of the figure and the plain forms a structure of triangle, to portray a stabled artwork.
wall behind her, which distinguishes and
focuses the image. This tends to give the The dark colour wall beside the girl appears to offer a
image a sense of depth. powerful longitudinal frame that gives consistency to the
structure in conjunction with the horizontal bar of the
Use of light: Mood Elicited: armrest. The figure itself, on the other hand, is all
In this portrait, the comparison between The atmosphere is reflective, softness, with great importance attached to the fabric
light and dark is strong, with the shades elegance and peaceful. The curves, ruffles, and ribbons that surround her as she leans
contrasting between dark and light as they rich colours infuse a backwards on the rosy pillow.
suit the contours of the figure itself. The comfortable level of Colour palette:
book she is holding is filled with a dim, satisfaction into the structure. The theme of the saffron dress has been
diffused light, allowing her shadow to be highlighted and it holds the concentration
flung against the cushions that she is together, although it is enhanced by the golden
leaning on. shades typical of Rococo paintings. The skin
colour is warm and rose, like a girl leaning on a
violet pillow.

In addition to the dark wood arm rest, dark

orange yellow and brownish tones and give
Brushstroke: power to the back walls and shadows. The colour
Fragonard used a wooden paint brush choices enhance the structure and brings an
to carve into the artwork to create the appearance of the gentle comfort that pervades
girl's collar in detail. The extremely the artwork.
textured techniques are applied by this
swordplay method of painting. Colour: The young girl’s dress colour
Especially, as the girl's fingers (mustard yellow and bronze) is a
wrapped around her book, in a very classic colour for rococo style
delightful interaction, you can see art works.
Fragonard's brushstrokes flow rapidly
in typical Rococo style. Young girl reading. (2017, July 19). Retrieved February 14, 2021, from
https://www.artble.com/artists/jean-honore_fragonard/paintings/young_girl_reading
 Formal Qualities The vibrant setting signifies the life experiences of former
President Obama: jasmine reflects his Hawaiian birthplace,
African blue lilies convey the Kenyan culture of his father, and
Instead of being too muted as portraits can often be, the Chicago's official flower is chrysanthemums.
shades are very vibrant, vivid and saturated. The subject is
separated from the background setting, unlike other The surreal whimsical style mixed with the subject's seriousness.
portraits, and put in a fairy environment of beautiful flowers Which has a very good overall contrast, suggesting boldness and
and leaves instead of being in their own house or some other dominance.
simple background.
It portrays Obama seated in a chair that seems to float with
The chair used in the painting is a transition element to
flowers, jasmine, and African blue lilies amid the green leaves.
connect the subject to the White House or the presidency. It Obama is wearing a dark blue suit in the painting and a white
is the middle road between that surreal background and the collared shirt with two unfinished buttons on the top and no tie.
subject. Interwoven among the leaves are these muted paths
With his hands resting on his feet, his arms are crossed. On his
of leaves which helps to boost the vibrancy and colours, but left ring finger, his wedding ring can be seen. He's staring straight
it also balances the overall colour intensity.
out at the audience. And the whole portrait is in triangular form.

Usually, the backgrounds overlap and surround the subject,

creating an unusual amount of negative room. The leaves are
overlapping the chair, but they seem to be a continuous
The flow of painting takes the viewer across the whole body and
background, so they sort of come up on the chair and begin
to overlap on his shoes. There are also vague plains. All the it ends on the head which is the focal point, which is the perfect
way through the background is consistent, which is very golden ratio composition. The placement of the flowers had
guided the viewers through the painting.
surreal.
There is a yellowish light reflected on the side of his face and
hands, whereas almost everything else has only the green of the
leaves reflected on his knees and arms.

Bishara, H. (2020, January 23). Amy Sherald and KEHINDE Wiley's portraits of the Obamas get a national
tour. Retrieved February 14, 2021, from https://hyperallergic.com/538950/amy-sherald-and-kehinde-
wileys-portraits-of-the-obamas-get-a-national-tour/
 Paintings by Chuck Close. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.artyfactory.com/art_appreciation/great-artists/chuck-
close/chuck-close.html
Formal Qualities
Those cubes, seen from a distance, emerge
as a cohesive picture attempting photo-reality,
As audiences get up close, the viewer gets hundreds of tiny little although in a pixelated manner. While the
images that make up the entire thing. Each one is full of color and
"Event" limited his desire to paint as precisely
enjoyment, so that even a grey surface will appear to be full of lovely
now as then, long until the accident, Close
little rings of blues, yellows and purples. He got the idea from his
had, in such a way, put unnecessary
grandmother, who used to be fascinated by her when she was
constraints on his surrealist style. A circle
crocheting huge tablecloths. Out of little tiny incremental units, he took consisting of several loops of vibrant colors
a huge, complicated picture, which is exactly what he is doing. His
completes every one of the grids. Even, the
works of art are a little like the half-tone dot method in the old photo of
genre is realistic, although not to the point of
the newspaper that makes the image when it is given a bit of distance
Super-realism. Usually, the standard artwork
by the viewer. It is like the viewer is looking at it, like rippling water,
created with this method is smaller than his
through a thick glass. previous work.

Chuck Close always begins with a photograph of the subject and he Composition: In his
constructs the artwork through a grid system where each square on portrait, there is a
triangular structure
the canvas corresponds with a square of cell on the reference
photograph. forming, it is used to
create a balanced
The portrait is positioned diagonally. His posture is straight and the and symmetrical
outline of the broad artwork stretches to his image. The lines of the portraiture.
grids can be seen here, unlike his other artworks, such as the
fingerprint artworks. By looking this artwork closely, each unit of cube
is a small abstract painting. Exploring Portraits - Chuck
Close [PDF]. (n.d.).

He paints a background color with every individual

thumbnail of a grid while he begins to paint. The
shades he selects have such a tonal value equivalent
with that of their respective portion on a grid. He after
this begins to complete every thumbnail with 4 or 5
detailing of differently coloured shapes, openly
coloured.
 Function & Purpose The setting in this picture is simple, creating the impression of the girl a much stronger
focus. The mood produced has been one of femininity that is delicate. Above
everything else, Fragonard's artwork is meant to be appealing to the eyes, forgoing
Young Girl Reading is one of the most simple but beautiful artworks academic endeavours and giving the spectator a feeling of pleasure and comfort.
of Jean-Honoré Fragonard and has grown explosively over the Inspired by the girl's feminine appearance or even the essence of femininity in
years with its comfort and eroticism. particular, Fragonard asks the audience to doubt what she would be reading, how the
artwork generates a feeling of ambiguity and how it can influence her feelings and
Her hair in a modest bun, she poses in a posture of thoughtful thinking. The spectator is pulled into the image in this manner, and the artwork turns
stillness, elegantly clad in a bright yellow dress and creamy- into a reflection on elegance and the act of reading.
coloured ruffle emphasizing her delicate contour; The model in the
portrait is unidentified, and the teenager itself appears to reflect a However, it has been altered presently, and the current owner x-rayed this specific
broader image of fresh femininity. The flexibility of her curves is portrait in order to create more details as to its progress. It was a worthwhile method,
characteristic of artwork in Rococo. identified by the girl's alternatives posture, which her face was tilted far further towards
the audience. This would have required quite a while for this to be modified to have
The girl is profoundly interested in the book she is reading, or even the position he resulted having.
in her own world, keeping her head tilted. The absence of writing
tools means that she reads for fun instead of for academic
purposes.
A collection of artworks currently
recognized as his fantasy
characters were drawn by Jean
Honoré Fragonard after around
1769: vivid portraits depicting
individual figures clad in formal
wear and made in especially soft
brushstrokes and vibrant colours.
These photographs are by far the
most enigmatic of far more
popular artworks in his earlier
work but have also sparked the
most discussion, created for
Metmuseum.org. (n.d.). Retrieved February 14, 2021,
from unexplained motives, maybe to
https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/frag/hd_frag. reflect real individuals.
htm Starr, M. (2015, April 07). Hi-tech imaging Reveals 'Fantasy' painting behind Famous Fragonard. Retrieved February 14,
2021, from https://www.cnet.com/news/hi-tech-imaging-reveals-fantasy-painting-behind-famous-fragonard/
 Function & Purpose While in southern India, the black American hip hop culture seems to be everywhere and
seeing it in direct contrast upon those brown figures in south Asia seems to be something
Wiley's symbolic portraits and paintings "invoke remarkable, something which Wiley tried to get down without really truly knowing the whole
historical references and place young black people of the historical environment. Wiley thinks that overthrowing himself is necessary, and he's
inside the field of power rather than stepping away from doing it because he intends to see people that look like him.
the complex socio-political backgrounds important to the
country." His iconic artworks invoke a unique design that His purpose was about being eligible to portray the relevant elements illusionistically and
instils a distinctive and contemporary style, revealing be perfect on them, but also to be willing to attempt them with amazing thoughts. By
complicated concepts that most would choose to remain studying the Old Master portraits, he was taught to portray anatomy, so it is a connection
quiet. towards how he won his skills in a certain strange way, spending hours of time at the
museums and looking at anatomy.
The bigger than life characters of Wiley disrupt portrait
art conventions, frequently blurring the lines among Often when Wiley takes photos for his portraits, he takes a pile of books out, he separates
conventional and contemporary forms of depiction and the figure from its initial setting and puts all in something entirely composed of it. Immense
the essential representation of masculinity and artistic devices are all of the settings he created. Stuff that comes through elements like
physicality as it relates to a perception of men in black wallpaper or the decoration of a building's architectural balconies, and in a manner that
and brown. deprives the artwork of any sense of identity or location, and it is placed purely in a
dramatic region. It is purely put in a structural context, through the wallpaper or exterior
decorations of the buildings, to the point that now it enables the artwork of every context or
sense of purpose. Kehinde Wiley searches for historical parallels to contemporary design
artifacts, textiles or religious symbols in the sense of the World Stage series.

President Barack Obama - Kehinde Wiley - GOOGLE Arts & culture. (n.d.). Retrieved
February 14, 2021, from https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/president-barack- Dahir, A. (n.d.). The Obama portrait boosts KEHINDE Wiley's legacy celebrating the African diaspora. Retrieved February 14, 2021, from
obama-kehinde-wiley/kgGqONkp0JVsCA?hl=en https://qz.com/africa/1205754/barack-obamas-portrait-kehinde-wileys-legacy- celebrate-african-diaspora/
 Function & Purpose His artworks are about the human faces, because Close suffers from face blindness where it’s
difficult for him to recognize faces, this is a major reason why he is fascinated with painting the
Chuck Close's artwork is most frequently connected in the minds of the faces, because once the face is laid flat, it becomes easier for him to remember. Hence his
public with his self portrait. While it's been selected by the painter mainly for artworks are often of his family and friends. However, prosopagnosia isn’t the only challenge
ease, Close's self portraits present a fascinating platform for evaluating the that life has thrown at Chuck Close, he’s dyslexic, his father died when he was three and he was
progress of his thinking and the artwork over 40 years. estranged for years from his mother before her death. Then in 1988, a blood clot in his spine
collapsed an artery leaving him paralyzed and wheelchair bound. Once he got movement back
From the 19th century to the current day, Chuck Close is internationally in his arms, he started working again with the help of a customized wrist brace that holds his
recognized for revitalizing the art of portraitures, a time period when brush, and the painting that he did after 12 years, is what he refers to as “Event” and Close uses
photography was rewarding the recently retired supremacy of painting his mouth to shove the brush into a brush holder attached to his right wrist, he then guides it
in this region, and continuously achieving stronger communication as with his left hand. He can’t stand so he uses a mechanical system to move that painting up and
an art form in its own right. Close originated from Photorealism's 1970s down the walls. His assistance will help him mix the paint and stretch canvases, but he will still
art trend, also identified as Super-Realism, but then it went far beyond make every paint stroke himself. Close linked this idea to his initial obsession with
its originally hyper-attentive depiction of a particular subject to discover photographic realism, concentrating on the systematic and time-based method of
how a wide variety of creative and conceptual ideas can be implied by moving a digital process to canvas as the theoretical concept for implying self-identity
analytical, system-driven portraiture based on the underlying methods creation, as a strongly conscious effort, considering its supposedly flawless result.
of photography.
Close suffered from extreme chest pains in
Close has since established a December 1988 that resulted in total paralysis
workspace to manage his under the neck, a major milestone in his experience
wheelchair and a remote- referred to by the artist as "the Event." Through his
control easel, which with the wife's support, who required that his therapy
aid of workshop helpers, he concentrate on the practice of creation of the
manages to creatively artworks, Close was determined to restore sufficient
improve his creative methods. mobility and balance in his upper body to enable
Also in his early 70s, Close has him to keep painting. He accomplished Alex II
applied his techniques to the (1989) in his recovery process, gradually improving
creation of strongly his muscles. The artwork is smaller than Close's
impressionistic depictions in earlier artworks, and it evokes a depression that the
the style of portraits of his painter identifies as indicative of his contradictory
friends, working to develop attitude at that period. However, it shows no
his creative techniques. technical loss.
Chuck close: Alex II, 1989. (n.d.). Retrieved February 14, 2021, from
http://chuckclose.com/work137.html
An Eye for Art - Exploring Portraits - Chuck Close [PDF]. (n.d.).
 Name: President Barack Obama
The vibrant setting signifies Artist: Kehinde Wiley
the life experiences of former
President Obama: jasmine Medium: Oil on Canvas
reflects his Hawaiian Date: 2018
birthplace, African blue lilies Size: 234.3 × 167.2 cm
Connections between the artworks I convey the Kenyan culture of
Bishara, H. (2020, January 23). Amy Sherald and KEHINDE Wiley's
his father, and Chicago's
have chosen official flower is
portraits of the Obamas get a national tour. Retrieved February 14,
2021, from https://hyperallergic.com/538950/amy-sherald-and-
kehinde-wileys-portraits-of-the-obamas-get-a-national-tour/
chrysanthemums.

• Oil on canvas
• Use of Light: , the
comparison between
• Full face view light and dark is
• Values and strong, with the
contrasts on shades contrasting
their face. between dark and
light as they suit the
• Portraits contours of the
figure itself.
• Vibrant colors
• Detailed • Side view portrait
Using the grid technique to • Triangular • Surrealistic
develop more to abstraction Structure brushwork, a
with further complex shades lightness of
and mark-making • The dark touch, and the
compositions, rendering its Background ease of handling
credibility all the more striking the details of
Name: Self Portrait to many elements of the reality in both
photographic form painters.
Artist: Chuck Close Name: A Young Girl Reading
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas Young girl reading. (2017, July 19). Retrieved February 14, Artist: Jean-Honore Fragonard
Paintings by Chuck Close. (n.d.). Retrieved from 2021, from https://www.artble.com/artists/jean-
Date: 2004-2005 https://www.artyfactory.com/art_appreciation/gr honore_fragonard/paintings/young_girl_reading Medium: Oil on Canvas
eat-artists/chuck-close/chuck-close.html
Size: 259.1 x 214.6 cm Date: c. 1770
Size: 81.1*64.8 cm
 Table of Comparison (Artist context – Cultural context, Inspiration)
Artist Artwork Cultural Context Inspiration
Jean Honore Fragonard A Young Girl Reading Fragonard was a representative of the Fragonard personally studied under the
Rococo period's later phases, a period supervision of Francois Boucher, one of the
marked by hedonistic liberation and a Rococo ancestors and one of the 18th
visually appealing interpretation of all things. century's leading design artists. Many of the
The Rococo period originated from the most influential Dutch portrait artists and one
Young girl reading. (2017, July 19). Retrieved
February 14, 2021, from
Racaille French art movement, meaning of the impacts of Fragonard, especially
https://www.artble.com/artists/jean- 'decorative shell and rock work'. regarding his paintings, was Frans Hals.
honore_fragonard/paintings/young_girl_reading

Kehinde Wiley President Barack Obama Kehinde Wiley is a portraitist centered in About his application of conventional
New York and he is a citizen of Los Angeles. Renaissance art styles (wide scale canvases
In very heroic, majestic like postures, he is and glamorous postures taken from Old
often recognized for his extremely detailed Master paintings), Wiley's portrait paintings
artworks of brown skinned individuals. were innovative in depicting men and women
Experts claim he is recognized to be a of skin tone as influential and deserving of
racist because the artworks he does were a exhibiting in galleries.
strong white man wherein he swaps for a
Kehinde Wiley context & analysis. (n.d.). resolute segment of a guy of African-
Retrieved February 14, 2021, from
https://bonuspastorcrammond.weebly.com/kehin American origin. The artworks of the old
de-wiley-context--analysis.html masters influenced him.
Chuck Close Self Portrait A modern American artist, Chuck Close is He is impacted by a diverse range
renowned for his tremendous paintings of his of methods and techniques, from Pop Art to
relatives and friends. He tends to work from ancient Roman mosaics, to cubism. His
huge photos of his topics in Polaroid. At a works of art are indeed a delicate
point while abstract art seems to be all the combination of the picture's truly
trend, he enabled to revitalize the art of representative, abstract and conceptual
portraits. His previous artworks were drawn characteristics. His recent artwork makes
in a Photorealist genre in black and white. use of the grid in the composition as a
Chuck close Biography, life & QUOTES. (n.d.).
framed structure. He got the idea from his
Retrieved December 3rd, 2021, from grandmother, who used to be fascinated by
https://www.theartstory.org/artist/close- her when she was crocheting huge
chuck/life-and-legacy/#nav
tablecloths.
 Table of Comparison (Cultural Significance & Purpose)
Artist Artwork Cultural Significance Purpose
Jean Honore Fragonard A Young Girl The Rococo movement had been a response to the Baroque period's artistic The setting in this picture is simple, creating the
Cultural and historical significance - rococo Reading (c. restoration of Catholic Spirituality. Catholic rulers, priests, and other rulers authorized impression of the girl a much stronger focus.
art history review. (n.d.). Retrieved March 1770) religious-themed artwork from artists. Rococo artworks, alternatively, were more The mood produced has been one of femininity
23, 2021, from
https://sites.google.com/site/rococoarthist concerned with the nobles who authorized them, and featured the materials and that is delicate. Above everything else,
oryreviewhtml/evaluation personal possessions. The capitalist class's interests shifted from resurrecting the Fragonard's artwork is meant to be appealing to
Young girl reading. (2017, July 19). Catholic religion to promoting their own riches and reputation, as evidenced by the the eyes, forgoing academic endeavours and
Retrieved February 14, 2021, from
https://www.artble.com/artists/jean-
advanced western essence of art. Fragonard had been a representative of the romantic giving the spectator a feeling of pleasure and
honore_fragonard/paintings/young_girl_re setting and burlesque artwork's tongue-in-cheek sensuality. From its focus on brief comfort.
ading
expressions of elegance, Impressionism resembles the Rococo movement.

Kehinde Wiley President Wiley's artworks frequently obscure the distinctions of contemporary and traditional While in southern India, the black American hip
Barack representational forms. Through French Rococo to Islamic art and Western Africa hop culture seems to be everywhere and
Sajet, K. (2018, February 20). In Obama's official Obama textile design including modern hip hop, he develops a synthesis of historical genres. seeing it in direct contrast upon those brown
portrait the flowers are cultivated from the (2018) Wiley's iconic figures are significantly bigger than life size, with gestures that suggest figures in south Asia seems to be something
past. Retrieved March 23, 2021, from
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonia strength and religious experience. Kehinde Wiley's flower interpretations are often remarkable, something which Wiley tried to get
n-institution/obamas-official-portrait-flowers-
cultivated-from-past-180968200/
based upon Western patterns going to medieval Europe in the 15th century. Basic bible down without really truly knowing the whole of
narratives were expanded towards more complex church teachings using flowers. the historical environment.
Celebrating African-American visual culture - 10
Kehinde Wiley art pieces you should know.
Flowers offered a connection of the episcopal environment and the daily environment Bishara, H. (2020, January 23). Amy Sherald and KEHINDE Wiley's portraits of the
(n.d.). Retrieved March 23, 2021, from in a period while most believers could not really understand Latin. Obamas get a national tour. Retrieved February 14, 2021, from
https://www.widewalls.ch/magazine/kehinde- https://hyperallergic.com/538950/amy-sherald-and-kehinde-wileys-portraits-of-
wiley-art-ten-pieces the- obamas-get-a-national-tour/

Chuck Close Self Portrait Close's artwork has a lot of significance because of its cultural context. In his His artworks are about the human faces,
(2004-2005) photorealistic portraits, he reinterpreted portraiture at a period when Abstract because Close suffers from face blindness
Expressionism was popular. Close's artwork was not like anybody else's at where it’s difficult for him to recognize faces,
that moment. His artworks, unlike most other artists at that point concentrated on the this is a major reason why he is fascinated with
skin, hair, and other aspects like wrinkles, instead of the eyes. Close captured each painting the faces, because once the face is
pore and wrinkles, resulting in certain realism. He is impacted by a diverse range laid flat, it becomes easier for him to remember.
of methods and techniques, from Pop Art to ancient Roman mosaics, to cubism. Hence his artworks are often of his family and
Chuck close: Self-portraits 1967-2005.
Conceptual art, Pop art, and Minimalism all originated around the same time span and friends.
(n.d.). Retrieved February 14th, 2021, background with Photorealism. It demonstrated a deep preference for realism against
from
https://walkerart.org/calendar/2005/c idealism and abstraction in world of art. Photorealists accept that the industrial
huck-close-self-portraits-1967-2005 development and reproduction of images in the world today, and they do not dispute
Photorealism movement overview. their reliance on these. Since they prefer the aesthetics and appearance of
(n.d.). Retrieved March 23, 2021, from
https://www.theartstory.org/moveme
photography, many artists try to mimic the features of photography like pixilation as well
nt/photorealism/ as multiple-viewpoints.
 Table of Comparison (Formal Qualities – Techniques, Composition and colors)
Artist Artwork Techniques Composition and colors
Jean Honore Fragonard A Young Girl Reading Fragonard used a wooden paint brush to Fragonard reveals the composition of the
carve into the artwork to create the girl's portrait with an aesthetic attraction that uses
collar in detail. The extremely textured the geographical framework in the
techniques are applied by this swordplay background and is contrasted with the soft
method of painting. Especially, as the girl's curves and ruffles in the foreground and the
fingers wrapped around her book, in a girl herself. The theme of the saffron dress
delightful interaction, you can see has been highlighted and it holds the
Young girl reading. (2017, July 19). Retrieved Fragonard's brushstrokes flow rapidly in concentration together, although it is
February 14, 2021, from
https://www.artble.com/artists/jean- typical Rococo style. enhanced by the golden shades typical of
honore_fragonard/paintings/young_girl_reading Rococo paintings.
Kehinde Wiley President Barack Obama The subject is separated from the The flow of painting takes the viewer across
background setting, unlike other portraits, the whole body and it ends on the head
and put in a fairy environment of beautiful which is the focal point, which is the perfect
flowers and leaves instead of being in their golden ratio composition. The placement of
own house or some other simple the flowers had guided the viewers through
Kehinde Wiley: Portraits with power. (n.d.). background. the painting. Instead of being too muted as
Retrieved February 14, 2021, from
https://art.scholastic.com/pages/archives/articles/ portraits can often be, the shades are very
kehinde-wiley-portraits-with-power.html vibrant, vivid and saturated.
Chuck Close Self Portrait Chuck Close always begins with a Out of little tiny incremental units, he took a
photograph of the subject and he constructs huge, complicated picture, which is exactly
the artwork through a grid system where what he is doing. His works of art are a little
each square on the canvas corresponds with like the half-tone dot method in the old photo
a square of cell on the reference of the newspaper that makes the image
photograph. The portrait is positioned when it is given a bit of distance by the
diagonally. His posture is straight and the viewer. It is like the viewer is looking at it,
outline of the broad artwork stretches to his like rippling water, through a thick glass.
image. The lines of the grids can be seen Each one is full of color and enjoyment, so
Chuck close: Art style analysis. (n.d.). Retrieved here. that even a grey surface will appear to be full
February 14, 2021, from
https://www.ukessays.com/essays/arts/life- of lovely little rings of blues, yellows and
and-work-of-chuck-close-art-essay.php purples.
Connections With My Own Artwork In my artwork, I wanted
to show the intensity
and fragility of my life
I wanted to do a study of portraits, so I decided to look at some are reflected through
portraitures that have used different techniques. Close has clear colour contrasts
used the grid technique to create a unique pattern and a and these different
tempered glass feel, Fragonard uses different brushstrokes, geometric shapes in
color combinations and brush orientation to create a variety of each box. My aim is to
textures and shadows. Lastly, Wiley puts the subject in a explore the dichotomy
garden-like environment instead of giving a solid background between my child-like
color to help interact the background with the subject. To start behaviours and my
off, I first printed my photo, and cut that into small cubes then complex maturity and
putting it together. I felt like it didn’t work that well because the seeking an identity with
cubes are too big. Then I drew some thumbnails just to see my culture.
how my portrait will look like. I decided to apply close’s
technique of grid painting, and to create a background of I first sketched my face,
different shades of blue and green to make it more vibrant and and then I drew the grid.
saturated. I used a small size of the
paper and tries using the
grid technique, which I
thought it came out quite
Being of Indian origin, and hardly being in India, I have that good. Instead of making
remote connection to Indian philosophy, traditions and ritual, loops of different colors
but having lived in the other part of the world - China. All this in each box, I used the
led to an introspection which came by looking at these three basic geometry shapes
artist’s artworks thinking that I am an outsider, but I don't in each box.
understand what my culture is, and I don't really fit into this
mould, which creates self-doubt. My interest in their artworks,
and their techniques led me to create self portraits, where also
I tried to be more abstract impressionist style. • Name: Fragmented Feelings
• Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
• Date: 2020
• Size: 39 cm * 30 cm
Connections With My Own Artwork (Process) My understanding of these paintings is gradually
changing from single to comprehensive, from my
While I was doing this artwork, I had many difficulties, it was taking simple interest to the artist's exploration of
too much time to do every box, I find doing this artwork with acrylic connotation. The profound connotation of culture is
quite hard, because I couldn’t fill in the boxes properly, as the the grasp of things. It applies to everything, such as
surface was quite rough, and acrylic dries fast. in painting, where the density of composition, lines,
cubes. The richness of culture lies in the
Initially I was going to do the whole artwork using that grid combination of reason and image, reason is the
technique, but I thought it would be quite messy in the bottom, as regularity of culture, the random generation of
the shirt and my hair is in black, So I decided to leave that part in a "improvisation" and the spread of "temperament". I
normal painting technique. Then I connected that to my overall got inspiration from Fragonard’s panting to paint a
intention and theme. I based the girl off the painting, since both female instead of a male. Then I chose the
other paintings have males as the subject, so I did my self portrait, technique of grid painting based off Close’s portrait,
initially I was going to do a portrait of my brother. and the vibrant colors that Whiley has used in his
artworks for the contrast between the subject and
My theme is quite like the “Event” that happened to Close. He was the background.
paralyzed and he was suffering with a lot things that time while
doing the self portrait. Similarly, my intention was to show the
intensity and fragility of my life are reflected through clear colour
contrasts and these different geometric shapes in each box.
 My artwork: The Reference Picture:
Formal Qualities
The juxtaposition of vibrant shades within each square of the
grid is extracted from this picture.

The main colors I have used for this artwork is blue, green,
black and brown. Instead of being in my own house or using
some other simple background. I have used two different colors
on each side, and did it with the grid technique. In a manner
that deprives the artwork of any sense of identity or location,
and the subject is placed purely in a dramatic region. It
represents the mix of my identity, being Indian but living in
China. From an outsider’s perspective, I seek an identity with
my culture.
As I have observed in this reference picture,
I used the technique of grid painting but not on the whole there are some shadows in my neck area. So
painting, I have simply painted the clothes and some part of to show that in my artwork, I have used dark
the hair, which I think it has a very good overall contrast, I brown on one side, and light skin colors on one
While I was doing the eyes part, I first tried
wanted to show a gradual change from struggling with pain side.
doing the grid technique, but it didn’t work out
to now getting healed and seeking my own identity. I wanted really well, so what I did was just to use the
to put a modern twist onto it, so the whole painting doesn’t similar colors on that one tiny box, so it
look like pixelated, so it looks smooth. wouldn’t look weird.
Function & Purpose Function & Purpose

My theme is quite like the “Event” that happened to Close. He was His artworks are about the human faces, because Close suffers from face
paralyzed and he was suffering with a lot things that time while doing blindness where it’s difficult for him to recognize faces, this is a major
the self portrait. Similarly, my intention was to show the intensity and reason why he is fascinated with painting the faces, because once the
fragility of my life are reflected through clear colour contrasts and these face is laid flat, it becomes easier for him to remember. Hence his
different geometric shapes in each box. My understanding of these artworks are often of his family and friends. Close linked this idea to
paintings is gradually changing from single to comprehensive, from his initial obsession with photographic realism, concentrating on the
my simple interest to the artist's exploration of connotation. systematic and time-based method of moving a digital process to
canvas as the theoretical concept for implying self-identity creation,
Comparing as a strongly conscious effort, considering its supposedly flawless
result.
my An Eye for Art - Exploring Portraits - Chuck Close [PDF]. (n.d.).

Formal Qualities Formal Qualities

artwork
Pattern: The similarity between my artwork and Close’s artwork is with Pattern: In his painting, as I was comparing the
the technique of using the grid. However, there is a difference in
patterning. I have used some basic geometric shapes and some style of patterning, Close have used circles
the consisting of several loops of vibrant colors
patterns – Triangles, squares, rectangles, crosses and circles.
completes every one of the grids
Inspired
Grid Technique: I used the technique of grid painting but not on
the whole painting, I have simply painted the clothes and some artwork Grid Technique: Those cubes, seen from a distance, emerge as a
part of the hair, which I think it has a very good overall contrast, I cohesive picture attempting photo-reality, although in a pixelated
wanted to show a gradual change from struggling with pain to now manner. Out of little tiny incremental units, he took a huge,
getting healed and seeking my own identity. I wanted to put a complicated picture, which is exactly what he is doing. His works of
modern twist onto it, so the whole painting doesn’t look like art are a little like the half-tone dot method in the old photo of the
pixelated, so it looks smooth. newspaper that makes the image when it is given a bit of distance
by the viewer.
Color: The main colors I have used for this artwork is blue, green,
black and brown. Instead of being in my own house or using some Color: The shades he selects have such a tonal value equivalent
other simple background. I have used two different colors on each with that of their respective portion on a grid. He after this begins to
side. complete every thumbnail with 4 or 5 detailing of differently
coloured shapes, openly coloured.
Formal Qualities Formal Qualities

Value and contrast: In my artwork, as I was observing the reference Value and contrast: As I mentioned in “Color”, the shades he selects
picture, there are some shadows in the neck area. So, to show have such a tonal value equivalent with that of their respective
that, I have used dark brown on one side, and light skin colors on portion on a grid. The painting shows exactly where light is coming
one side. Also, the eye part, I have tried to use darker shades, as I from, which is shown on the face with the light and dark tones.
have some shadow and dark circles. All these represents the mix
of my identity, being Indian but living in China, studying in different
languages. From an outsider’s perspective, I seek an identity with
my culture.
Comparing
my
There is a lot of
artwork contrast in his
painting, which was
with not really obvious in
my artwork. Also,
the every cubes are very
detailed, unlike mine,
Inspired in my artwork, I have
used big patterns and
artwork it is not as detailed as
Close’s.
Cultural Context Cultural Context

Me being of Indian origin, and hardly being in India, I have that A modern American artist, Chuck Close is renowned for his tremendous
remote connection to Indian philosophy, traditions and ritual, but paintings of his relatives and friends. He tends to work from huge photos
having lived in the other part of the world - China. All this led to an of his topics in Polaroid. Close implied that a switch to an earlier genre of
introspection which came by looking at these three artist’s artworks art, or realistic portrait paintings, may be a realistic direction for the
thinking that I am an outsider, but I don't understand what my growth of a painter, coming of age at a period when Abstract
culture is, and I don't really fit into this mould, which creates self- Expressionism was still a huge player in the world of art and for others, a
doubt. very impairing one.
Chuck close Biography, life & QUOTES. (n.d.). Retrieved December 3rd, 2021, from
https://www.theartstory.org/artist/close-chuck/life-and-legacy/#nav