Portrait in Broken Stripes

About the work

A head with wavy hair turns slightly left. Repeated contours pass across forehead, cheeks and chin, preserving several positions of the same form. Soft dark strokes mark eyebrows and eyelids, while nose and lips are lighter. Below, short horizontal bands cover broad shoulders, separated by pale intervals. The background remains almost empty, making even faint lines beside the face distinct.

No single continuous outline defines the portrait: converging and diverging lines refine the head’s turn. The uneven rhythm of hair echoes the cheeks, while horizontal clothing marks provide a calm base. Restrained tone concentrates near the eyes and lower sheet. Between these areas, the pale face reveals small changes in contour direction.