Portrait of Katarine Saryan 1963

Martiros Sarian made this oil painting of Katarine Saryan. Look at how Sarian builds this scene, especially the face. See the small red and green touches around the eyes? It’s like he’s finding the form as he goes, building it from color. The paint isn’t trying to hide itself here; you can see every stroke, every decision. I really get a sense of the artist thinking out loud. I love the mix of foregrounded fruit and the mask. It feels theatrical, and like a backstage scene. Notice how the fruit, the mask and the jar share the same rough surface, each dab of paint applied with the same weight and energy. It’s like he’s saying everything here is equally important. Thinking about the portrait, I can't help but also think of artists like Alice Neel, who also brought so much life and character to their portraits with visible brushwork. But Sarian feels more decorative, almost abstract. Art’s always a conversation, right? No one’s ever really alone in a painting.