Samuel Henry Kress 1953

Leopold Seyffert painted this portrait of Samuel Henry Kress with oil on canvas, but when? The date is uncertain. The muted color palette, dominated by grays and reds, creates a somber yet powerful presence. Seyffert’s technique is intriguing, he's neither hiding nor flaunting the paint. Look closely at the hands. There's a contrast between the rendering of the face and the way he's dealt with those gnarled hands, using quick brushstrokes, almost like he's sketching or improvising. It gives an interesting tension to the whole piece, as if the artist is working something out as he goes along. This approach reminds me of Sargent, who was also a master of portraiture, but with a certain immediacy. Ultimately, this is what keeps me interested in art - the ongoing dialogue between artists across time and their shared exploration of vision and form.