Fear

A wrinkled, sunburned face fills most of the canvas, wrapped tightly in a white cloth tinged with pink and blue at the edges. Wide, dark eyes stare fixedly forward beneath furrowed brows, and a reddish beard and moustache frame a closed, tense mouth. Below, two large weathered hands are held up close to the picture plane, fingers curled as if warding something off.

The head is rendered as an exaggerated, near-spherical mass, its proportions pushed beyond naturalism to heighten unease. Skin is built from dense, fine hatching in ochre, rust and grey, giving a leathery, carved texture, while the pale kerchief stays broadly brushed by contrast. The tight framing and defensive hand gesture create an anxious confrontation with the viewer.