Untitled

About this work

You see a close-up of a man’s shaved head and shoulders against a dark background. The skin glows softly, lit from one side so the curves of his face stand out. Mapplethorpe printed this photo first, then brushed thin watercolor over parts of it. The added color is barely there—just enough to warm the shadows and make the image feel more like a painting than a photograph. If you like how light and skin look here, try searching for the technique called glazing.