Brad 2012

This is a portrait of Brad Pitt by Chuck Close, a master of the photographic portrait. Looking at this image, I imagine Close in his studio, carefully setting up the lights and camera to capture every detail of Brad's face. The photo has a sepia tone, giving it a timeless quality. Close's portraits are known for their hyperrealism, but there's also a vulnerability in Brad's expression here, which makes me think about the vulnerability of the artist who spends hours studying a face, trying to capture not just what they look like, but who they are. This piece reminds me of other portrait painters like Alice Neel, who also sought to capture the essence of their sitters. Close, like Neel, pushes the boundaries of portraiture, exploring the relationship between representation and identity. It's a conversation that artists have been having for centuries.