Head of Julia or Head of J.Y.M.
Painting on paper or board (mounted) • Attributed to Frank Auerbach (or a very close follower/manner of). The technique mirrors his signature style of building up dense layers of oil paint over many sessions, often scraping down and rebuilding.
Style & Movement
School of London / Post-War British Figurative Art. The style is characterized by expressive, near-abstract handling of the face and intense psychological depth.
Medium & Technique
Oil paint used with extreme impasto and wet-on-wet technique. The paint is applied in thick, sculptural ribbons and mounds, likely with a palette knife or directly from the tube.
Creation Period
Circa 1970s–1990s
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 20 x 15 cm; vertical portrait format.
Subject Description
A close-up portrait of a head (likely one of the artist's regular sitters such as Julia Yardley Mills). The features are submerged within a chaotic lattice of yellow, black, and sienna strokes, conveying a sense of tactile presence and movement.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good to Fair. The surface is extremely fragile due to the thickness of the oil. There appears to be a protective plastic film or laminate over the surface, which is problematic for long-term preservation.
Estimated Market Value
$5,000 - $15,000 (if a study on paper); significantly higher (six figures) if a fully realized oil on board with verified provenance.
Auction Estimate
$8,000 - $12,000
Provenance History
Unknown; lacks visible stamps or labels on the front. Appears to be a study or a small-scale work held in a private collection or informal mount.
Art Historical Significance
Auerbach is a central figure of the School of London. His work focuses on the physical reality of the subject through the 'geology' of paint. This piece represents the late 20th-century shift toward haptic, visceral portraiture.
Notable Features
The most striking feature is the sculptural density of the yellow ochre paint against the dark recesses, creating a 3D topographic map of a human face.
Condition Issues
Drying cracks (craquelure) and 'wrinkling' of the oil skin are evident due to the extreme impasto. The presence of a plastic overlay may cause chemical trapping and damage the paint surface over time.
Conservation Recommendations
Professional removal of the plastic covering is urgent. The work should be placed in a deep shadowbox frame to protect the high-relief impasto. Maintain stable humidity to prevent the thick paint from shearing off the support.