Detailed image description of Jonathan

Beth Blacher Mastick painted Jonathan in 2019. It is a 30 inches tall by 24 inches wide acrylic on canvas portrait of an older African American man. Seen in this head-and-shoulders portrait, the man looks straight out at us from slightly yellowed eyes, his lips closed but sagging slightly on his left, and not expressing any particular emotion. His moderately short yet shaggy grey beard extends from his sideburns down his cheeks and around his chin. A thin line of whiskers appears immediately below his lower lip, leaving a gap of skin on his chin before meeting up with the rest of the beard. Light reflects off his chin and full lower lip. His thinning eyebrows also have a touch of gray.

His left eye is clearly visible to us, while the right eye remains in shadow. He appears to be wearing a hearing aid in his left ear. A bright yellow cap trimmed in red, but with no lettering or imagery on it, rests slightly askew on his head, the bill extending over his face, casting a shadow on his forehead. The man wears a dark brown shirt that extends all the way to his neck. A cream-colored jacket covers most of the shirt. Halfway up the painting on the right side, the name JONATHAN is written sideways in reddish-brown outlined block letters, parallel to the edge of the painting.

Written by Fred Brack, Arts Access Audio Describer

All images and text belong to Beth Mastick, except where noted.