Pablo Picasso (1881-1973), Gertrude Stein, 1905-06, oil on canvas, 39 3⁄8 x 32 in. Bequest of Gertrude Stein, 1946 47.106. Courtesy The Met, New York, NY.

Through nearly 80 artworks in The Met’s permanent collection by artists that include Leonora Carrington, Elizabeth Catlett, Marsden Hartley, Yasuo Kuniyoshi, René Magritte, Henri Matisse, Joan Miró, Alice Neel, Pablo Picasso and Florine Stettheimer, The Face of Life: Modern Portraits at The Met highlights defining moments in the trajectory of portraiture from 1900 to the 1960s.

Yasuo Kuniyoshi (1889-1953), Self-Portrait as a Photographer, 1924, oil on canvas, 20½ x 30¼ in. Bequest of Scofield Thayer, 1982 1984.433.11. Courtesy The Met, New York, NY. 

The exhibition is organized in four sections, opening with Resemblance, and Pablo Picasso’s iconic painting of Gertrude Stein from 1905 to 1906, an example of how portraiture can transcend mere likeness to become an interpretation of the sitter’s inner world. In Allusions, works by artists such as Otto Dix, Amedeo Modigliani and Laura Wheeler Waring demonstrate the range of individual expression within a shared, traditional pose. Self-portraits by Leonora Carrington and Yasuo Kuniyoshi in Proxies question the necessity of realism in portraying an individual’s identity. The exhibition’s final grouping, titled Markers, features work by Max Beckmann, Abdel Hadi El-Gazzar, Alberto Giacometti and Eli Nadelman that examine portraiture’s role as a means of commemoration. 

Robin Williamson, Little Punkin, oil, 12 x 12 in.

“The Face of Life presents a fresh perspective on modern art through the lens of portraiture, examining how artists have sought to capture the essence of human presence and lived experience,” notes The Met. “At its most fundamental level, a portrait represents an individual, yet its meaning has continually evolved. Historically associated with power, status, and public identity, portraiture has expanded over time to reflect more nuanced and shifting conceptions of selfhood. Shaped by the cultural and intellectual currents of their time, artists have transformed the portrait into a site of experimentation and inquiry. In the 20th century, the emergence of photography, developments in psychology, war, and rapid technological and industrial change, among other factors, profoundly altered how identity could be constructed and perceived. Against this backdrop, modern artists redefined what a portrait might be, reconsidering not only likeness but also presence, interiority, and the individual’s place within a changing world.”

Top:  Linda Leslie, Ode to Degas, oil on canvas, 20 x 30 in.; Robin Williamson, The Inheritance, oil, 20 x 24 in.  Bottom: Alice Neel (1900-1984), Elenka, 1936, oil on canvas, 24 x 20 in. Gift of Richard Neel and Hartley S. Neel, 1987 1987.376. Courtesy The Met, New York, NY. Linda Leslie, Sarah, oil on canvas, 30 x 20 in.

Today, the face and figure remain among the most compelling subjects for artists and collectors alike and, as they have across the centuries, range from formal commissions of prominent individuals to depictions of ordinary individuals captured in candid moments of everyday life. In the remainder of this special section dedicated to the art of portraiture, we offer a sampling of the diverse forms contemporary portraiture can take from leading artists working in the genre and the galleries that represent them. 

Top: D. Arthur McBride, In Concert, oil on linen, 30 x 40 in.  Cecilia Brendel, Portrait of Alexis, oil on linen,10 x 10 in.   Bottom:  Danny Gordo, The Costume of Devotion, oil on aluminum, 36 x 24 in. D. Arthur McBride, Memories of His Own, oil on linen, 24 x 30 in. 

Cecilia Brendel’s oil paintings possess a sense of luxury, softness and elegance that aim to immediately captivate the viewer. Her skilled brushwork demonstrates both technical excellence and artistic sensitivity, creating paintings that feel alive with atmosphere and emotion. Some of her brushstrokes are so delicate and subtle that they dissolve into softened edges, allowing forms to gently emerge and recede within the composition. This technique creates a sense of depth perception and visual harmony that draws the eye deeper into each scene.

Danny Gordo, Can Anybody Hear Me?, oil on aluminum, 48 x 36 in. 

“I am always inspired by light as it plays upon the subject,” says artist D. Arthur McBride (aka Darlene Williams). “Atmosphere and feeling equally move me. Occasionally someone comes into my gallery and, if inspired, I will ask to take his or her photo in order to create a painting.” Her portrait Memories of His Own is an example. In Concert is a painting of pianist and composer Paul Cardall. Inspired by his story, McBride requested and received permission to paint him, and she was given some photos for reference. “When I receive a commission, I will gladly work from a good photo or will take my own when possible,” she explains. “I have a decent working knowledge of Photoshop, and if need be, can incorporate various aspects from different photos for the best effect in the painting.”

Linda Leslie, Joseph, oil on panel, 40 x 40 in.

Danny Gordo’s series Echoes “explores how meaningful parts of the human experience can become performative when faced with overwhelming distraction,” explains the artist. “We live in a culture that is constantly telling us what to value, what to pursue, and how to present ourselves. Over time, it becomes easy to mistake those messages for our own thoughts. We learn to perform things that were once genuine. We learn to display things that were meant to be experienced.” Each of the paintings in the series focuses on a different aspect of being human through that lens. “Self-love, forgiveness, devotion, belonging and connection all become subjects of inquiry,” he says. “This series is a meditation on the gap that can form between what is deeply felt and what is outwardly conveyed. Something essential is being expressed constantly, by ourselves, by others, by the world around us, and much of the time it passes by unheard.”