The artwork, titled “Emma,” was created by the artist Chuck Close in 2002. It belongs to the Photorealism art movement and is a portrait genre.
The artwork features a highly detailed and textured portrayal of a young girl’s face. Despite its photorealistic roots, the image is rendered in a uniquely abstract manner, composed of numerous intricately painted cells or tiles, each containing a mix of vibrant colors. The meticulous assembly of these varied hues in each segment combines to form the overall likeness of the subject, revealing both a sense of depth and a playful manipulation of light. The girl’s expressive eyes and slightly open mouth are rendered with particular attention, drawing the viewer into her gaze and evoking a sense of innocent curiosity. The use of geometric shapes and repetitive patterns within the composition adds a dynamic, almost mosaic-like quality, making the piece both a visually striking and a technically impressive example of contemporary portraiture.
