chuck close

Chuck Close (born 1940) is an American photorealist specializing in close-up portraits and self-portraits. Close is one of the very few modern realists or photorealists who focus on the human face. In 1988, in mid-career, Close was paralyzed due to a blood clot in his spinal column. He regained partial use of his arms, and was able to return to painting after developing techniques which allowed him to work from a wheelchair. All of Close’s works …

…has been equally thorough and systematic. He began by imitating black-and-white photography, then pioneered a three-color process akin to that used in commercial printmaking. Since 1986, Close has used oil paint as his primary painting medium, and currently favors brushwork that mixes colors in a lively, seemingly playful manner, so that each square in his grid is like a miniature mosaic. He is presently one of the most remarkable and well-known artists of the 20th century.