Julian Alden Weir

In this unusual double portrait, Weir draws the viewer into an intricate puzzle of flat and decorative elements. A rhythmic progression of verticals is formed by the curtains, the mirror’s edge, the bedposts, and the figure’s confident pose. In contrast, horizontal crossbars rise from the floor and float attention upward to the model’s reflection. Her voluminous striped sleeve joins various textiles and carved ornaments as counterpoints to the composition’s insistent geometry. In this contemporary version of a traditional theme, Weir demonstrates his knowledge of aesthetic interiors, subtle tonal harmonies, and asymmetric arrangement of forms.