Abstract Portraits

These are portraits of men that stop short of being likenesses. A face turned in profile, a face with eyes lowered under streaks of color, a jaw drawn in a handful of hard lines: the subject is always recognizably a person, but the color and the gesture carry as much of the picture as the features do.

Four of the seven are color-drip portraits, where pink, red and teal run down from the top edge over a dark figure on a pale ground. The other three are looser and rougher: a profile breaking into orange, red and teal strokes, an angular line sketch in red and teal, and a gaunt, layered frontal face in olive and red.

Where it works best

Living rooms, bedrooms, studies and home offices all suit this style, especially rooms with plain walls and simple furniture that leave the face room to read. The drip pieces are the easiest to live with; the olive portrait and the sketch are stronger and do better where you pass by or work than where you rest.

Sizing for the space

Every piece here is a wide 2:1 format, twice as wide as it is tall. That shape is made for the long wall above a sofa, a console, a bed or a desk. Aim for the art to span roughly two-thirds of the furniture below it, and hang one piece on its own rather than in a group, since each face wants its own space.

Color pairing

Pink, red, teal and deep blue run through most of the set, so grey, navy, charcoal and soft blush all sit comfortably around them. The olive portrait is the exception and looks best with warm wood, khaki or leather.

Scroll on for the full collection.