The Story Behind My Portrait of a Face Card

Have you ever taken a second, closer look at the images in a deck of playing cards? The face cards often have a surprising, rich ornamentation. Whether the jack, queen or king, face cards are more desirable because they trump the number cards, and because of their beautiful designs. While this in part drove me to paint Left Bauer in 2021, the piece came to embody some secrets in the process. This post explains how the everyday imagery of a playing card was transformed into a meaningful work of contemporary art.

What Inspired this Piece

While the jack is the lowest in rank of the three face cards, it is one of the most powerful cards in a game of Euchre. Typically, a player or pair of players can’t win a round in Euchre without having the left or right bauer. As I played more Euchre, my concept of the jack became more saturated with meaning. On the one hand, there are well-known paintings by Paul Cézanne and from the golden age of Dutch art which feature people playing cards. On the other, jack can be a proper name (i.e. Jack) as well as the name of very useful person (i.e. the jack-of-all-trades). As the jack face card acquired personality, I also wondered at the distinction between a left bauer and a right bauer. These terms have a political significance, but having both the left and right bauers is most desirable of all. So, after all this musing, I felt that I must paint a jack of clubs. Of course, I planned to eventually paint the other black jack as well. What I found interesting about face cards is that there are variations between the different suits as well.

Bringing Jack to Life

I drew inspiration from many decks of playing cards before landing on this particular combination of features. This was a time-consuming piece to make since there are so many different colours and details. In distinction to the graphic quality of the playing card itself, my painting has a relaxed, casual feel. I particularly enjoyed how the figure continued to gain personality during the process of making. Jack’s character was partly a function of getting to know him, and partly a function of different artistic choices I made. For example, when creating the face of the jack I tried to add some definition under the eyes. But when I started painting, the lines kept on getting filled in. Eventually, the jack ended up with areas of slightly darker paint just under the eyes. At a certain point, I realized the figure either had a black eye or seriously needed some sleep. This wasn’t my intention at the outset, but I found it amusing and kept the black eye. Similarly, I had the idea that the face at the top of the painting would accurately mirror the face at the bottom. But in the course of making the painting I unintentionally introduced so many differences between the mirror images that I lost count. So, I challenged my daughters and other children to count the number of differences between the top and the bottom. How many differences do you see?

What this Work Represents

So, why does the mirror offer an unfaithful reflection? Why does the jack have a black eye? When I showed this piece to my father-in-law, he hypothesized that the jack tried to usurp his betters – such as the King and the Queen – and was swiftly dealt with. Amongst the card figures in Lewis Carrolls’ book, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, the club cards are soldiers, subject to the Queen of Hearts. This jack too is a soldier; he’s holding a pike and wearing an elaborate breastplate. The ‘person’ I got to know in the process of painting this jack and the ‘person’ I saw on a playing card are two different ‘people’ altogether. One is a thick image, full of personality and nuance; the other is a thin image, as thin as a playing card. Thin images are quickly consumed; thick images get beneath the surface. And beneath the surface there are surprising, if not awkward truths. I’d like to think that painting this portrait of a jack helped me to understand him in terms other than his function, his place, or position. Thick images take time and they help us to acquire rich knowledge we did not conceive of in advance.

Collector’s Tips

This piece is being offered for purchase at $1,175 and can be viewed by appointment in my home studio near Hamilton, Ontario. It measures 54’ x 30’ inches and comes unframed; a professionally made oak floating frame in one of various finishes can be purchased and installed at an extra cost. The painting was made in 2021 with house-paint and acrylic paint on cotton canvas. With its relationship to card games and themes of character and play, this painting would look great in your rec-room or man-cave.

A Painting about the Surprises of Getting to Know Someone

Left Bauer is a portrait that is full of reminders about the grit and humanity beneath surface appearances. In the surprises of getting to know him, this jack revealed some awkward truths. Yet, with its colour and pattern, the painting attests to the vibrancy of character, and rewards contemplation with a transformed understanding. As a contemporary artist in Hamilton, Ontario, I’m delighted that all of this can be found in the image of a face card. If this piece resonates with you, I invite you to share your thoughts with me via email or on Instagram.

Interested in adding this piece to your collection? Contact me.