Ada I

Alex Katz created many female portraits throughout his career. This graphite composition of his wife, Ada—who is shown frequently in Katz’s oeuvre—is the archetype for his later portrait drawings. Although many of his pencil sketches are studies for paintings, this drawing does not relate to any known painting. In this portrait, the pencil strokes and deep contrasts between light and dark illustrate the strong presence of the sitter, and subsequently Katz’s interest in human psychology and its complexity.