Verbal Description: Untitled, 2021

Narrator: Untitled (2021) is an acrylic painting on linen. Measuring almost 73 inches tall by just over 54 inches wide, this self-portrait in profile is a riff on an unattributed sixteenth century painting of English monarch, Henry V. By linking himself with the king, Taylor plays upon his childhood nickname Henry the VIII, as he was the youngest of eight children. 

The background consists of a warm yet muted yellow base. Decorative brown flourishes resembling small birds, ironwork, flowers, crowns, leaves, and incomplete royal crests populate the yellow. To the far left, stretching from top to bottom, a slip of dark paint with green inflections coalesces into an opaque column. The subject, Taylor, is rendered in profile. His black hair is quaffed neatly. Toward the back of his hair, a muted periwinkle shape like a dollop rests on the crown of his head. Deep set brow lines puncture his forehead. Lively brushstrokes animate his face to a glowing brown. His eye gazes at the opaque column. His lips are narrow and pursed. His regalia is made up of two collars, one light brown that appears to be a shirt, and one rolled collar in dark brown that appears to be a part of a robe. A gold bejeweled sash drapes around his chest and shoulders. The jewels range in tones from red to blue to white to grey. The one visible sleeve has brown ruching along the edge while its inner portion is blood red with a golden stripe running down the center. The gold stripe comes to a stop around the elbow. Sparse black lines indicate the sleeve’s folds and draping. The cuff of the sleeve is a thick gold band. Both hands are visible though in different positions. The hand closest to the viewer cups open and away so that the palm is not visible. On the index finger, a red jewel ring. The fingers are long and slender, fingernails donning blush pink and white hues. The other hand is set lower and cupped down. Thumb hidden, the hand appears to be gripping a round object, perhaps a piece of fruit or a small ball.