Bearded Man

Barry used drawing as a means of developing ideas for his paintings, applying distinctive styles to different subjects. He used soft, curving lines for “beautiful” subjects, and stronger hatching and shadows for those he considered “sublime,” such as this figure study. Though the subject is unknown, the image conjures a feeling of extreme tension. A man, his beard a wild bush of swirling pen strokes, turns to gaze over his shoulder through eyes staring under heavily shaded brows. Strong, straight marks slash across the figure’s hair, evoking a rush of wind or movement and heightening the drama of the image (2022).