JESSE WAUGH
PULCHRIST (SELF-PORTRAIT)
2018
OIL ON CANVAS
89 X 130 CM

Pulchrist is my best attempt at photorealism yet. I strive for adequate illusionism, but my primary objective is just to try to make beautiful art. Photorealism can be immediately impressive, but I believe aesthetics and meaning are always what’s most important in painting - so that means that the subject, execution, and the overall impression a painting gives is what really matters most - in other words: Is it Beautiful?

I’m also trying to reconcile my genuine admiration for monochrome grayscale (grisaille) paintings — which can be visually striking — with a desire to include beautiful colors in everything. I was so satisfied with the aesthetic of Pulchristthat I knew I had to leave it without color glazing. 

Pulchrist is me taking sides and standing up for Beauty!