182 × 152 cm / 71.7 × 59.8 in
182 × 152 cm / 71.7 × 59.8 in
182 × 152 cm / 71.7 × 59.8 in
182 × 152 cm / 71.7 × 59.8 in
An individual painting / John Millei
John MilleiHead II
A sweep of ochre crosses the top of the canvas. Beneath it, two dark bands hold open a pale interval in which the suggestion of a head takes shape.
- Medium
- Oil on canvas
- Dimensions
- 182 × 152 cm / 71.7 × 59.8 in
Height × width
01 / A curatorial reading by G-ALLERY
The shape between the strokes
A curatorial reading by G-ALLERY
Near the left edge of Head II, a rounded patch of muted green edged in yellow projects from behind a violet band. Seen on its own, it is a small, flat shape against charcoal. Seen beside the pale expanse at the center, it begins to read as an ear. So much of the head depends on that shift. There are no eyes to meet and no mouth to fix an expression. A detail at the margin gives the viewer a way into the figure.
Where the contour changes hands
The two long strokes on either side of the pale field carry different weights. On the left, a mauve passage narrows toward a black tip. On the right, a deep blue curve descends beside a thinner violet track and a cool gray strip. Each bends away as it approaches the foot of the canvas. Following these curves brings the eye to the charcoal shapes that cut back into the pale field from below. For a moment, what looked like the ground seems to be drawing the head.
At the lower left a fine gray line takes up the work of the broad black band beside it. The band ends abruptly against the bottom of the canvas. The line turns back into the picture, tracing a sliver of cream along the lower edge. One has the weight of a painted object, the other the lightness of a drawing. Both participate in the same contour.
What the title asks of the eye
Millei calls the painting Head II. The noun gives the eye a premise to test. Look for a face and the cream field seems almost startlingly exposed. Let the eye wander to the edges and the most descriptive marks appear there, well away from where eyes or a mouth might be expected. The tension lasts because the painting offers just enough information for recognition, while giving the liveliest passages of paint a life of their own.
02 / Color & surface
Ochre across blue
The widest brushmarks run crosswise at the top. Ochre lies over blue, yet the square-ended blue strokes remain legible on the left. A sliver of yellow shows above them. These small exposures give the upper band a history that can be read in its edges. An adjacent passage disappears under another color and reappears a few inches away.
Within the ochre, parallel grooves retain the direction of the brush. Beside the pale center, violet breaks into a stippled edge where the paint thins over a darker band. These differences in handling matter as much as the hues. The ochre carries the eye across the canvas, while the irregular violet edge slows it down at the boundary of the head.
03 / Scale & space
A head at the scale of a body
At 182 centimetres high, this head occupies a canvas close to the height of a standing adult. From across a room the dark uprights and the horizontal ochre band are immediately legible. Moving closer changes the unit of measure. A strip of blue that registered as a single accent resolves into several separate strokes, each with its own edge.
The two oblique views let the collector compare the canvas with the slender wooden frame. Seen from either side, the frame projects from the wall and casts a narrow shadow. Within it, the charcoal ground brings the pale shape forward by color alone. The distinction is especially clear at the lower corners, where those two kinds of depth meet.
04 / Head II
Studio Views
Three studio visualizations of John Millei’s Head II.
05 / Collecting this work
Inquire about Head II
Contact G-ALLERY for pricing, a condition report or further photographs. Private video viewings can be arranged when the painting is accessible.
Inquire about this work →Acquisition & shippingCan I see the surface more closely?
Ask for detail photographs of a particular passage, such as the layered ochre at the top or the violet along the right edge. The gallery can also confirm whether a private video viewing is possible at the painting’s current location.
What dimensions should I use for installation?
The listed measurements refer to the canvas, height first. For a particular wall, request the framed dimensions and depth. A photograph and measurements of the intended setting will help the gallery discuss placement with you.
What can the gallery provide before acquisition?
G-ALLERY can confirm current availability, pricing and the provenance and condition documentation available for Head II. Collectors in the United States may request a quotation in USD and an estimate for insured delivery.