Colour and Black and White – Modern Portrait of a Woman

by Bianca ter Riet

A portrait of a woman in black, white and shades of grey depicts her in profile, with her head turned to the right. Her features are rendered in a soft and refined manner, with subtle transitions between light and shadow that emphasise the depth of her face. The skin appears almost sculptural due to the use of monochrome layers, lending the work a timeless and serene quality.

The work is a mixed-media portrait in which realism and abstraction converge. The background consists of horizontal colour fields: in the centre, a warm shade of pink forms the heart of the composition, whilst the upper section is rich in gold with brown undertones. This gold reappears at the bottom, visually anchoring the image and creating a harmonious balance.

The woman’s hair is not depicted literally, but symbolically represented by two large round circles. These circles contain colours such as blue, aqua and gold and appear to float in the space behind her head. They partially overlap the golden upper field, creating a layered and dynamic effect.

Expressive white brushstrokes have been applied over the circles and the gold using a palette knife, complemented by fine, thread-like lines of white paint. These lines suggest hair textures, energy and movement. Just below her neck, these white lines are repeated, forming a subtle, almost lace-like collar that accentuates her silhouette.

The work as a whole unites figuration and abstraction, with colour, texture and line coming together to create a poetic image of identity, energy and tranquillity. Modern Abstract.