“Close reading: Chuck Close and the artist portrait” by Friedman, Martin.

Chuck Close is a well-known contemporary American portrait artist. His main source of inspiration has been himself but this book also explores his other subject matter – his fellow artists. The book covers a period of thirty years and explores the changes in style, medium, and scale from the naturalistic renditions of the Pop Art era, through to his more expressionistic style in recent decades.

The first part of the book deals with Close’s biography; the second, the evolution of his self-portraiture; and the third deals with his portraits of other artists, and some of their works, as well as conversations he had with those artists.

This will be a useful addition to any secondary school library or art department’s collection of resources. Close is an icon and inspiration to many for his pioneering style and close study of the human face. He reinvigorated the art of portraiture at a time when it was more cutting edge to explore the rampant commercialisation of society.

reviewed by Suzanne Hardy