Title: The Illuminated King Technique: Drawing (charcoal) Support: 70 g/m² naturweiss paper (Le Grand Bloc) Dimensions: 25 × 25 cm Year of completion: 2017 Edition: Unique piece Signature: Signed on the front
The Illuminated Kingis a tribute to the way Velázquez portrayed royalty: with a combination of nobility and simplicity. In this sketch, I am interested in the contrast between the unfinished and the deeply representative nature of the figure. The king, although not fully outlined, conveys the same authority and serenity found in Velázquez's portraits of monarchs. Each loose stroke, each shadow intuitively placed, contributes to the idea that the power of the royal figure lies not only in its physical form but in the way it is illuminated through painting. This study reflects my interest in capturing not just the image of a monarch, but also his presence and inner energy, as Velázquez did through light and simplicity in his portraits.
