Ekphrasis

There is something mysterious and enigmatic about this painting by John Varriano. A beautiful woman is standing at a bar, but the bar and the restaurant behind her are empty.

Her dress is simple, yet elegant, and the design of the restaurant is mid-twentieth Century Modern minimalism. There is a feeling of spare, almost eerie quiet. Her pose is relaxed and she has an air of confidence. Her right-hand rests on her hip, which is gently thrust out in a classic contrapposto pose. Her left elbow rests on the bar allowing her gentle hand to drape in repose.

She looks to the right with her chin elevated, emphasizing her well-structured jawline. Has the person she is waiting for just arrived? Is there a bartender behind that bar?

Varriano, who is a master at conjuring complex scenes with many characters in his paintings, knows that any other figure added to this composition would diminish its mood. Standing alone, this woman at the bar evokes that famous poem by Lord Byron, “She walks in Beauty”.

The paint is applied wet into wet in a style of painterly realism and displays Varriano’s mastery of portrait anatomy. Perhaps more importantly, it reveals his uncanny ability to capture a mood.