Claude Grahame White 1951

Arthur Pan's "Claude Grahame White" is a portrait in oil, and what strikes me first is the way the paint seems to have been built up, layer by layer, almost like skin itself. Look closely, and you'll see how Pan has captured the man’s likeness through subtle modulations of tone and texture. There’s a real stillness, a sense of considered observation that I find compelling. The brushwork is so controlled, almost restrained, and the color palette feels muted, elegant, like a memory fading at the edges. And yet, within that discipline, there are moments of real sensitivity – the subtle blush on the cheek, the glint in the eye. It’s as if Pan is inviting us to contemplate the complexities of human character. It reminds me a bit of some of Lucian Freud’s portraits, in the way it captures the vulnerability of the sitter. Ultimately, this painting isn't just about surface appearances but about something deeper, something more elusive.