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PETER EATON GURNZ - HIGH CONTRAST CLOSE UP
Artist: Peter Eaton Gurnz (American, contemporary)
Date: c. 21st century
Medium: Archival pigment print on paper
Dimensions: 57 × 43 cm
Description:
Black-and-white portrait by Peter Eaton Gurnz isolates the model’s face in an extreme close-up, cropped tightly to emphasize the eyes and lips. The lighting is starkly directional, with one side of the face fading almost completely into a field of pure white, creating a striking contrast between shadow and overexposed brilliance. The texture of the skin and the precision of the makeup—dark, defined brows, voluminous lashes, and perfectly contoured lips—convey both glamour and intensity.
The asymmetrical framing draws immediate attention to the model’s gaze, which meets the viewer head-on with a mixture of vulnerability and assertiveness. The high contrast between light and dark areas strips away extraneous detail, allowing the interplay of form, shadow, and expression to dominate the composition.
Artistic Context:
Peter Eaton Gurnz’s portraiture often merges the refined aesthetics of fashion photography with the emotional depth of fine art. In this work, he uses minimal composition and heightened contrast to create an image that feels both iconic and intimate, placing the viewer in an almost confrontational proximity to the subject.
Artist: Peter Eaton Gurnz (American, contemporary)
Date: c. 21st century
Medium: Archival pigment print on paper
Dimensions: 57 × 43 cm
Description:
Black-and-white portrait by Peter Eaton Gurnz isolates the model’s face in an extreme close-up, cropped tightly to emphasize the eyes and lips. The lighting is starkly directional, with one side of the face fading almost completely into a field of pure white, creating a striking contrast between shadow and overexposed brilliance. The texture of the skin and the precision of the makeup—dark, defined brows, voluminous lashes, and perfectly contoured lips—convey both glamour and intensity.
The asymmetrical framing draws immediate attention to the model’s gaze, which meets the viewer head-on with a mixture of vulnerability and assertiveness. The high contrast between light and dark areas strips away extraneous detail, allowing the interplay of form, shadow, and expression to dominate the composition.
Artistic Context:
Peter Eaton Gurnz’s portraiture often merges the refined aesthetics of fashion photography with the emotional depth of fine art. In this work, he uses minimal composition and heightened contrast to create an image that feels both iconic and intimate, placing the viewer in an almost confrontational proximity to the subject.
