“Hair” is a portrait by Luc Tuymans, a notable artist within the New European Painting movement. This particular work falls into the genre of portraiture and serves as an exploration of the human form, focusing specifically on the intimate detail of hair.
The artwork features a close-up depiction of what appears to be the back of a person’s head, emphasizing the shape and texture of the hair. The strokes and color palette are subdued and have an almost ethereal quality. The hair takes on a flowing, tactile character, conveying a sense of movement and softness. The background is rendered in contrasting colors, using a cool blue tone that creates a stark backdrop against the warmer tones used in the hair. One notes the use of light and shadow to bring depth to the portrait, and despite the absence of facial features, there is a profound sense of personality that emerges from the careful attention to detail. Through the seemingly simple subject matter, the artwork invites contemplation on the ways in which we interpret and understand human features.
