The Mirror (1966)
Fairfield Porter (1907-1975)
American, oil on canvas

Fairfield Porter’s The Mirror explores the complex relationship between reality and illusion.  In this image, the artist depicts himself painting a portrait of his ten-year-old daughter, Elizabeth.  Her gaze, from within the illusionistic space of the canvas, acknowledges the viewer’s presence in “real space”.  Simultaneously, the artist’s reflection in the mirror establishes another level of space that is neither ours nor Elizabeth’s.

Porter entered the art world just as the Abstract Expressionists were gaining international recognition.  Yet he retained a commitment to the figure and to the traditional painting subjects: landscapes, interiors, still lifes, and portraits.

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