Chuck Close: Self Portraits

Self Portrait 1983

Over the years Chuck Close has completed many self portraits of himself. The majority of his self portraits have been either oil on canvas or acrylic on canvas. This particular self portrait from 1983 is a 37 x 37 handmade paper pulp in 24 gray values and string. This sets it apart from many other portraits that Close has made and makes it truly unique.

Chuck Close- A Brief Biography

Big Self-Portrait 1967

Chuck Close is an American painter born in Washington state in 1940. He was an attendee of the University of Washington as well as Yale University. Close studied for a brief time in Vienna, and then moved to New York City in 1968. He is known mostly for the portraits he does based off of his own photographs of friends, family, and himself. Close's paintings are known for characteristically being cool and showing his subjects with expressionless faces. From the 1970's to today Close has experimented with media's such as mezzo tint, aquatint, linoleum cut, woodcut, screen print, paper pulp, and daguerreotype. In the year 1988 Chuck Close suffered from a collapsed spinal artery. Even though he was almost completely paralyzed Close is still able to paint to this day with the help of aids such as brace devices and wheelchairs.