Phil / Fingerprint

Chuck Close

c. 1981

Inked fingerprints on aluminum litho plate

Minneapolis Institute of Art

A black and white portrait of a man's face is rendered using fingerprints. The man has curly hair and is looking directly at the viewer. A black and white portrait of a man's face is rendered using fingerprints. The man has curly hair and is looking directly at the viewer. In 1981, in collaboration with Minneapolis-based publisher Vermillion Editions Limited, Chuck Close created a lithographic portrait of composer Phillip Glass using his fingerprints to draw the image on an aluminum litho plate. He inked his index finger over and over as he touched the plate, leaving his marks as he went. The present plate is the result of that effort. When he sent the plate to the printer, it became apparent that the dark areas of the plate became overly dense and proved unsuitable