Artwork
Πορτραίτο νεαρού
Πορτραίτο νεαρού is a drawing by Alex Mylona. It dates from 1942 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Organisation of Museums of Visual Arts of Thessaloniki – MOMus. Created when the artist was twenty-two, this charcoal drawing captures the portrait of a young boy with quiet intimacy.
About this work
Overview
Created when the artist was twenty-two, this charcoal drawing captures the portrait of a young boy with quiet intimacy. The medium’s inherent grit allows for both precise definition and subtle tonal transitions, lending the image a tactile immediacy. Executed with deliberate control, the work avoids theatricality, focusing instead on the quiet presence of its subject.
Subject & Meaning
The subject is a child, rendered without idealization or narrative context. His gaze is direct but unassuming, suggesting a moment of stillness rather than performance. The absence of background or attire emphasizes the individuality of his features, inviting attention to the subtle textures of skin and hair rather than social identity.
Technique & Style
Charcoal is applied with a mix of sharp, controlled lines and softly blended smudges to model the boy’s facial structure. Highlights emerge through the paper’s reserve, while deeper shadows are built through layered strokes. The rough grain of the paper interacts with the medium, enhancing the sense of physical presence and unpolished authenticity.
History & Provenance
The drawing resides in the collection of the Museum of Ethnography, where it is preserved as part of a broader archive of personal and observational works. Its origins remain undocumented beyond the artist’s age at creation, suggesting it was not commissioned but produced as a private exercise in observation.
Context
Made during the artist’s early adulthood, the work reflects a period of technical experimentation with graphic media. It aligns with broader 19th-century trends in drawing that valued directness and emotional restraint over academic polish, positioning the portrait as a quiet counterpoint to formal portraiture of the era.
Legacy
Though not widely exhibited, the drawing endures as an example of early artistic sensitivity to human form. Its preservation in an ethnographic context underscores its value as a record of individual presence rather than artistic fame, offering insight into the artist’s formative engagement with portraiture.
Artist & collection
Artist
Alex Mylona (Athens, 1920 – 2016) was a Greek sculptor, known for her multidimensional and experimental approach to art.
Museum
Metropolitan Organisation of Museums of Visual Arts of Thessaloniki – MOMus
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