Robert 

Neale Worley’s oil painting ‘Robert’ captures a single figure in a moment of quiet contemplation. The hooded figure has a slightly disheveled appearance. The background curtain suggests a domestic space but the man’s appearance seems to challenge notions of comfort and security within such spaces. It’s worth considering this work within the context of the 21st-century revival of portraiture, particularly portraiture focusing on the lives of everyday people rather than nobility or the upper classes. The focus is on the ordinary, and in that sense, we might see it as a reaction against a culture of celebrity that dominates so much of our visual experience. Artists like Worley invite the viewer to consider the lives of those easily overlooked. As an art historian, I am interested in how this painting reflects contemporary trends in art and society. Further research could reveal more about the sitter’s social context and Worley’s artistic intention.