Portrait exercise at the second year of the academy 1992

This small portrait by Alfred Freddy Krupa was made during his second year at the academy, probably in oils. You can see how the painting itself emerges through layers of trial and error, shifting between the red background, the cool blues of the jumper, and the flesh tones of the sitter's face. I really sympathize with the artist as they negotiate the challenges of portraiture. What must it have been like to stand in front of the sitter, balancing the desire to capture a likeness with the need to express something more profound? I love how the texture of the paint adds depth to the work. The artist used small brushstrokes to build up the forms of the face. Each stroke communicates feeling, intention, and meaning. You see how the artist has captured a particular expression in the sitter's eyes and mouth? There's a real sense of vulnerability. We are all in an ongoing conversation and exchange of ideas across time. I imagine the young Krupa looking at work by masters of portraiture, like Rembrandt or Van Dyke, internalizing their lessons, and trying to find his own voice.