Contemporary
Masterpieces We Admire
Artist: Everett Raymond Kinstler,
N.A.
New York, New York
Subject: Alfred Drake
Oil on canvas, 50 x 40 inches
Collection, Players Club, New York City
 his
spectacular painting represents, at its very best, the bravura
tradition in contemporary portrait painting. The entire dramatic
image has been forcefully and energetically set down with
swift, sure strokes. The dazzling brushwork captivates us,
but not so much that we fail to appreciate the consummate
draftsmanship and understanding of form that underlies every
part of the subject.
No other artist of our time appears to so thoroughly lay claim—through many, many performances like this—to
the mantle of Sargent. This boldness and assurance proceeds
directly from a deep understanding of the artist's craft plus
a profound measure of insight into the essence of the subject.
The powerful abstract dark at the top of the canvas sets off
a brilliantly drawn and rendered head, which is achieved through
a highly simplified statement of light and dark planes, with
surely placed highlights. This is not the product of pedantic
rendering, but rather a highly knowledgeable appreciation
of the play of light over the planes of the head.
Everett Raymond Kinstler has justifiedly earned his unsurpassed
worldwide reputation through countless performances of this
extraordinary quality. J.H.S.
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