Head of Adam Emory Albright (Head of My Father)

Known for paintings that explore themes of decay, mortality, and vanity (Into the World There Came a Soul Called Ida or Picture of Dorian Gray), Ivan Albright also created several sculptures with highly expressive surfaces that extend these fascinations into three dimensions. Albright’s haunting portrayal of his father powerfully conveys a sense of the artist’s fingers as they molded the planes of the face, creating an almost grotesque physicality. According to Albright, his father—an artist known for his Impressionist style—was infuriated by the unconventional portrait, which only pleased his boldly nonconformist son.