Head of G.B. 1967

Frank Auerbach made this lithograph, Head of G.B., using black ink to produce an image of dramatic contrasts. It’s so gestural. You can feel the artist moving his whole body as he commits the image to stone. Auerbach is part of a lineage of painters, like Bomberg, who build up form through layers of energetic marks. It’s like he's not just trying to capture a likeness, but also the feeling of a person. These aren't passive portraits, these are living presences. The face emerges from a flurry of strokes, like memories flickering in and out of focus. The broad, dark strokes evoke the weight and texture of reality, while the negative space is alive with potential. Look at the way he uses line to suggest a chin, a brow, a cheek. It's like he's daring you to complete the picture, to meet him halfway in the act of seeing. Auerbach’s work reminds us that painting is a process of discovery. He shows us the beauty in the search, the thrill of the unknown.