Portrait of Paul A. Volcker 2015

Luis Álvarez Roure painted this portrait of Paul Volcker, but it’s undated, so who knows when. It’s the kind of work that takes you back to art history, those portraits of men in suits that fill museum walls. But look closely. The paint isn't just copying life; it’s alive. The brushstrokes around Volcker's face, they kind of dance, don't they? See how the colours shift, almost like the artist is trying to catch a fleeting thought or a change in expression. There's a lot of work in those hands, too, painted with a kind of tender care, capturing every wrinkle and age spot. And next to the flag of the Federal Reserve it gives the portrait a political vibe, like the image has been created to cement Paul Volcker’s image. Portraits always remind me of Lucian Freud, who was ruthless in his commitment to capturing every detail, no matter how unflattering. This portrait, though, feels warmer, a bit more forgiving. Maybe that's just what happens when artists try to pin someone down on canvas—they end up revealing something about themselves in the process. Art: it's just a conversation across time, isn't it?