 |
2. Thomas J. Watson, Sr.
This famous painting is Albert Murray
at his quintessential best. The
brilliantly rendered head contrasts
sharply with the dark background.
The brush technique is careful and
the execution is deliberate and
finished—very few bravura
flourishes here. The subject has
been studying a report, and, pausing,
he removes his reading glasses and
contemplates the viewer. There is
enormous dignity and gravity in
the expression. The painter would
do well to study the strong, simple
lighting on the head, and the eloquent
rendering of the detail of the chair.
This is the classic work of a master
portraitist who knows exactly what
he is doing.
Oil
on canvas, 1977
40 x 36 inches
Collection, IBM Corporation
|
here
are those who believe that the greatest of all
American portrait painters—after John
Singer Sargent—was Albert Murray, the
legendary New York artist (1906-1992) who created
some of the most memorable and effective portraits
ever painted in this country. An Albert Murray
portrait was characterized by consummate draftsmanship,
exquisite color, flawless craftsmanship—resulting in a truly penetrating rendition of
the personality of the subject. Here are four
outstanding examples of Al Murray's magnificent
art: