Portrait

Visual Description

The vertical painting shows a half-length portrait of a young woman in a slight three-quarter view. Her face, dark hair and clothing are worked mostly in black, white and finely differentiated grays. Her hair is loosely pinned up; individual strands and gestural lines break away from the closed form.

Behind the figure, two intense fields of color meet. Bright orange defines the left half of the picture, fluorescent yellow-green the right. Free black lines, visible brushstrokes and fine overlaps run through the ground. The calm presence of the sitter stands in clear contrast to the energetic color of her surroundings.

Artistic Interpretation

“PORTRAIT” does not tell a clearly narrated biography. Hübner concentrates on a moment of self-assertion. The young woman seems attentive, reserved and at the same time fully present. Her gaze does not seek approval. It meets the viewer with a calm that holds its own against the visual volume of the picture space.

The face remains divided between light and shadow, creating the impression of an identity that is not fully revealed. Orange and yellow-green can be read as external stimuli, expectations or emotional energies. The figure perceives these forces without being defined by them.

Art-Historical Context

The work connects the tradition of the psychological portrait with elements of New Figuration, Pop aesthetics and the gestural strategies of contemporary urban art. The precisely modeled figure remains representational, while the background and line work appear deliberately open and process-driven.

The strong contrast between the monochrome face and fluorescent color detaches the portrait from any specific spatial setting. The sitter is not placed in front of a classical background but within an energetic field of color. Through the use of UV-reactive paint, Hübner also extends the painting with a second, light-dependent appearance.

Exclusivity

A one-of-a-kind work with Hübner’s characteristic signature style. The combination of realistic black-and-white figuration, fluorescent orange and yellow-green, and freely placed lines creates high visual recognition value.

What sets it apart is the double perception of the work. In daylight, “PORTRAIT” appears high-contrast and immediate. Under UV light, the intensity of the color fields changes and opens up an additional layer. The work stays the same and yet appears different.

Collector Value

“PORTRAIT” reads strongly from a distance and rewards a closer look. Orange and yellow-green set a clear visual accent in the room. Up close, the fine modeling of the face, the visible brush movements and the open lines come to the fore.

The work suits private collections as well as galleries, cultural venues, reception areas and modern workspaces. It appeals to collectors looking for contemporary portrait painting, expressive color contrasts and changeable works with an additional UV layer.

More About the Artist

Matthias Hübner (b. 1976) combines high-contrast figuration with intense color and an open, psychologically charged visual language in modern surrealistic realism. People, emotions and different levels of perception are at the center of his work. Since returning to painting in 2020, he has continued to develop his artistic position experimentally.

Early awards at the GDR youth painting competition in 1989 and the European painting competition in 1993, as well as his selection as a finalist in the Teravarna International Juried Art Competition 2025, mark his artistic development.

Condition Report

Condition: no visible defects. A detailed condition report is available on request.

Exhibitions

2025: Galerie Tschart, Leipzig, Germany

2026: Favori Art GENESIS 1, Gleina, Germany