About the work
A unique and fascinating ability of human beings is to be able to relate to and observe ourselves. I strongly believe that this enables us to become healthier and a better person.

‘Close your eyes and look at yourself’: This is what Frank wanted to express with a series of more than 50 fantasy portraits. The inward-looking, conscious human being, searching for truth.

This portrait in oil is part of that series. He calls the portraits ‘Tronies’ after an old word for ‘face’. A ‘Tronie’ has become an international term in the art world for Dutch portraits, mostly expressive preliminary studies, and was already used
in the Golden Age when there was a lively trade in such portraits.

Size: ~12 x 12 cm
Technique:  oil on paper board
Including a box frame with glass

Frank Verbrugge is a Dutch full time artist living close to ‘s-Hertogenbosch in The Netherlands. He has a background in product design and increased his focus on art gradually over the last 8 years. His focus lies on portraiture art. Minimalistic, layered, stilled, strong, deeply personal are words used to describe his work.

In the creative process, he seeks the quiet authentic inner world or pure essence of himself and that of his subjects. This is not an isolated counter-movement to social media trends. But precisely the combination with a very traditional but far-reaching interest in ‘working with light’, make his portraits unique and contemporary. He loves ’the experiment’ and works with various techniques. The presence of ‘accidental’ marks are a typical signature, as well as expressive line-work.

A customer: “The portrait-taking was full of warm attention and commitment. That experience literally and figuratively made me look at myself differently: more wondrous, mild and loving.”

With Art Spot Verbrugge also offers oil paintings, ink portraits and pencils among others, where the client is photographed and follows through the process together with Verbrugge to make the final commissioned work as personal as possible.