Before the invention of the camera, an artist would need to have a live model in front of them as they sketch their subject on either paper or canvas. This is what many Renaissance artists did such as Raphael or Leonardo da Vinci who would study and sketch the human form to depict it realistically in their paintings. With the camera, an artist could now take a photo or a series of photos to be used in a collage or be used as a reference in the same way a Renaissance artist used a sketch for a painting. During the 20th century however, figurative artwork in the traditional style was becoming obsolete while abstract expressionist and minimalist art thrived and were considered more modern and innovative. As a reaction towards this, some artists began finding new ways to evolve …show more content…
Many of his subjects were of his friends, family, and other fellow artists that he was acquainted with throughout his career. He painted them as he painted himself which was a full front view of their head against a blank background. With his photorealistic work, they seem to take on the appearance of a modern police mugshots and yet they feel as if they are treated as an icon with the use of such a large canvas. Even though they appear to be important since they are so large, their imperfections are emphasized as a result of this such as wrinkles, hair, or the texture of their skin. However, this creates an important element which is that it’s more about the person and not about the painting or the process it took to paint it. Closes technique can be considered impersonal or mechanical with the use of grids and sticking to the photo but he was able to present to the viewer a portrait of a person that he has a personal connection with. The viewer may not have a connection to the person as Close did but with careful observation, one could see the humanness in the