Label TextThis portrait is of the wife of painter Francesco Clemente, both of whom were close friends of the Katz’s. Though no mirror is visible, the back of Alba is pictured as if she were standing in front of one. The result is a more complete, though nontraditional, portrait. Alba is seemingly a polished woman; however, the subtle detail of the wisps of hair suggests a looseness not visible in her posture or dress.
Alex Katz is a figurative painter, printmaker, and sculptor known for creating flat, stark portraits of his friends, family, and colleagues. His monochrome backgrounds became a defining characteristic of his style and separated him from more gestural painters and those engaged with hyperrealism.
(Anna Stothart, 2016)