The artwork, titled “Portrait of Mies van der Rohe,” was created by Marino Marini in 1967. It belongs to the Expressionism art movement and falls under the sculpture genre. The piece captures the visage of the renowned architect in a manner that is characteristic of Marini’s expressive style.
The artwork depicts the bust of a male figure, focusing primarily on the head and neck. The piece is rendered in a raw, textured manner that accentuates the expressive qualities of the subject’s face. Visible lines and exaggerated features convey a sense of solemnity and intensity. The sculpture appears unfinished or roughly hewn, giving it a tactile, almost primal quality that draws the viewer into the emotional depth of the portrait. The neutral, off-white color of the material lends a timeless, almost archaic atmosphere to the piece. Through these features, Marini succeeds in capturing not just a likeness, but the essence of Mies van der Rohe’s intellectual and somber persona.
