Karel Funk creates astonishingly detailed and hauntingly quiet paintings that at once rely on and challenge conventional notions of portraiture. Historically, portraits were painted with an agenda. Preeminent figures with the means to commission such work were portrayed to emphasize real or desired attributes, seeking to command admiration and respect from the viewer. Most often the subject faced forward, with eyes clearly meeting the gaze of the onlooker, allowing for the often-cited “window” into the nature of the sitter.
