Nat (Five Color States) 1971

Chuck Close's 1971 "Nat (Five Color States)" is a photorealist portrait of a man named Nat, rendered in a grid of individual colored squares. This work exemplifies Close's signature style of painstakingly constructing large-scale portraits using a grid system, meticulously recreating the subject's features with meticulous precision. This work is a part of his early series, "Five Color States," created with only five colors, demonstrating Close's experimental approach to color and image construction. The use of a grid emphasizes the mechanical aspect of his process, creating a visually captivating and engaging portrayal of human form.