The King of the Road

Photorealistic oil portrait of a bald, middle-aged Black man with a grey beard and direct gaze. "The King of the Road" by Frank Brennan, in a frame, handmade by the artist.

The King of the Road

Medium: Oil paint on Gessobord
Size:  30.5 × 30.5 × 2 cm
Framed: 32 × 32 × 3 cm 

During a trip to Brazil, I met the man in this portrait. We had no shared language, but he agreed to let me photograph him.

He was homeless and carried his possessions in a shopping trolley. Many others around him were living equally difficult lives. Yet what struck me was not his circumstances but the way he carried himself. He stood tall, looked me directly in the eye, and seemed entirely undiminished by the hardships he faced.

That encounter stayed with me long after I returned home. It was his dignity that led me to call this painting The King of the Road.

To honour both the man and the portrait, I made the frame by hand.

Enquire about this work.
"The King of the Road" by Frank Brennan - photorealistic oil portrait of a bald, middle-aged Black man with a grey beard and direct gaze – work in progress 3
"The King of the Road" by Frank Brennan - photorealistic oil portrait of a bald, middle-aged Black man with a grey beard and direct gaze – work in progress 2
"The King of the Road" by Frank Brennan - photorealistic oil portrait of a bald, middle-aged Black man with a grey beard and direct gaze – work in progress 1 (drawing)

Other works

To see more, please click on one of the images below.

The Silver Beast of Conquest

Oil paint on linen (Framed)

The Lover – oil portrait on 8 Gessobord panels by Frank Brennan, link image

The Lover

Oil paint on 8 Gessobord Panels (Framed)

Nightswimming

Oil paint on canvas