The Artist’s Magazine April 2007
A Relevation of Lines
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Draftsman, painter and sculptor Robert Liberace puts the figure in motion
to draw forth the poetic essence of his subjects.
by Christine Proskow
“Capturing a person’s character through the careful representation
of his features is one of the main themes in art, if not the principal
theme in the history of art,” asserts Virginia-based artist Robert
Liberace. His finely wrought portraits resonate with a virtuosic refinement
of form and line. “I’ve studied anatomy more than most artists,
which allows me to more quickly read and understand the human form and
translate it into a drawing or painting,” he says. What gets translated,
in understated tones, is that sought-after intangible factor: a sense
of the complexity of human experience. “In a figure drawing, the
emotion of movement can be flamboyant,” he explains, “but
in recreating the beautiful, subtly poetic lines and forms on somebody’s
face, a measure of the person’s life is disclosed.”
Early on, Liberace gravitated toward the classical tradition – a
legacy that emphasizes balance and beauty of form and exalts the relationship
between the artist and his materials. That interest was spurred by figurative
drawing classes at George Washington University with Frank Wright, who
introduced his students to tonal drawing techniques reminiscent of the
old masters. Once hooked, Liberace set about honing his drawing skills
and doing an independent study of anatomy. “I filled notebooks with
anatomical renderings until my understanding gelled. I also got into sculpture,
which deepened my perception of form and how the illusion of form might
be suggested on a flat surface.”
Today, Liberace divides his time equally between figurative drawing –
his first love – and painting portraits in oils. Occasionally, he
carves out time for sculpture, but he excels in all three disciplines.
Indeed, a masterly yet sensitive handling of line and contour runs throughout
the artist’s work. In his portraits, the curve of a lip or the placement
of a wrinkle seems to resonate with unmistakable truth. This precision
is especially evident in his exceptional, classically-inspired drawings
depicting active or relaxed poses. Liberace’s proficiency enables
him to paint, draw and sculpt models in a way that implies energy and
movement, “even if the model isn’t posing in a particularly
energetic manner,” he says. Typical of his approach, Three Graces
demonstrates that subtle energy. “As the model poses, I like to
encourage some movement,” explains Liberace. “Those little
variations on edges then become echoes of line that keep moving through
space. I’ll also change a pose and experiment with it on the same
page to create a new manifestation of the original pose.” Here,
the artful placement of three renditions of a figure is a classical device.
Another classically-inspired motif is the descriptive emphasis on one
figure while the other poses appear to dissolve. “I let these drawings
evolve naturally, though I look for a harmony of design,” the artist
says.
Liberace arrived at portraiture through his figurative work. He pursues
both commissioned and non-commissioned pieces, the latter affording him
freedom to select his model and her pose, and to paint entirely from life.
He takes inspiration for his portraiture from Rembrandt, especially the
Dutch master’s portraits of wizened men. “They teem with psychological
energy. The models I paint for myself tend to be those ancient persons
who have seemingly lived for centuries. The physiognomy of their faces
indicates a lifetime of experience,” he says. “I might also
paint someone in his prime who moves athletically and has interesting
features, yet neither of these types would be considered beautiful in
a conventional sense.”
The model for the portrait Allen appears frequently in Liberace’s
figurative work. “I had to devote one painting to explore Allen’s
interesting features and dreadlocks,” the artist says. One of Liberace’s
favorite recurring models, who is now deceased, was a man by the name
of Russell. “He was a great subject – I painted him as himself
and as different characters. In life, he was an acrobat who exuded enormous
vitality and strength. For Russell in Studio, I chose to pose him in a
more contemplative way.” Seated and described in a quiet moment,
Russell is shown with a sculpture of himself idealized as Hercules. “All
the elements combine to capture something very real,” Liberace says.
When painting commissioned portraits, Liberace balances the client’s
satisfaction with his own artistic drive. “Traditionally, the client
wants the artist’s imprint, but she also wants a lasting representation
of herself portrayed in her best light,” he explains. To begin the
process, he’ll talk with the client to see what she has in mind.
After making several quick gesture drawings of different poses, he and
the client will select a favorite. “To help determine a pose, I
watch the subject’s movements to see what looks natural. Then I
usually create a more elaborate drawing of that pose, mostly for the sheer
pleasure of drawing. Later, while painting, I can refer to that study
and to photos I’ve taken of the subject.” He also keeps two
mannequins in his studio, which he uses to model clothes if his subject
is unavailable.
As in the portrait, Jonathan, Liberace paints his smaller portraits alla
prima (all at once), a practice he considers liberating. “The technique
calls for a brief statement, which generates suggestions of form and light
without providing a more thorough explanation,” he says. While the
smaller paintings are done alla prima, the larger portraits are done in
stages, by first loosely sketching out the composition in umber on a midtone
canvas. Working from large blocks of color, he progressively paints smaller
patches of color until he achieves his desired resolution.
“To capture a person’s essence or psychology on canvas is
an elusive thing. It doesn’t always happen,” Liberace says.
“Hopefully, I’m sensible of creating a human feeling in my
work, yet I don’t think about that while I’m painting, or
I risk imposing vibrancy.” Instead, he seeks to establish an emotional
connection, which may then enliven the portrait. “The idea of the
picture has to be interesting to me. I try to develop a fascination with
the subject – perhaps through a particular feature or unique characteristic.
“Even the painting materials, which have personalities themselves,
can be the subject of a piece. An artists’ materials possess a complex
range of physical characteristics which, when released by the painter
(or sculptor or draftsman), convey a certain poetic expression of their
own. Many great Rembrandt studies, for instance, seem to find full expression
through pure execution and force of style. Simply enjoying the calligraphy
of line strokes or the impasto application of paint can give an artist
complete satisfaction, and at the same time, imbue the work with meaning
– a meaning derived through the exploration and enjoyment of materials
and craft rather than through a complete narrative or story. Once I’m
involved, that flow of energy generates the potential for something to
happen.”
Such luminaries as Rembrandt, Michelangelo, Diego Velazquez and John Singer
Sergeant are constant gauges to Liberace’s creative aspirations.
For the commissioned portrait Marsha, he borrowed a technique from Velazquez
and Titian – “melting” the edges to create a more evocative,
dreamy effect.
“I encourage other artists to have high goals, to look at the work
of great artists and emulate them,” he says. “The masters
possessed a capacity of vision, a way of looking at the world that allowed
them to capture something special. Rembrandt, for instance, who seemed
to know what makes a human being tick, was always looking for that expression,
that interesting model or moment that would perfect a picture. My ideal
– through some sort of alchemy – is to reach that level of
relationship between the materials, my love of the craft, and working
with the model to create pieces with emotion and depth.”
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The artist earned his bachelor and master of fine
arts degrees from George Washington University, and in 2003, won the Grand
Prize Award in the Portrait Society of America’s International Portrait
Competition. In addition to conducting workshops throughout the United
States and abroad, he teaches painting, anatomy, figure drawing and sculpture
at the Art League in Alexandria, Virginia. Liberace is represented by
the Arcadia Gallery in New York City and John Pence Gallery in San Francisco.
You can view more of his work at www.robertliberace.com.