The subject matter of this research is the portraits of French narrative figuration artist Bernard Rancillac during his most political period–1966 to 1980. The main approach of the research is to focus on the complex correlation among the artist, the referent, and the age; and to re-place and reconsider Rancillac's portraiture in its contemporary artistic and cultural context. This essay will demonstrate how Rauschenberg interpreted his political identity and the zeitgeist of the rebellions generation in his portraiture and practised the aesthetics of overstepping one's authority he shared with the age, in order to explain the rich meaning and unique features of the age in his portrait expression; thereby further discussing how Rauschenberg explored, in his works, the new possibilities of portrait expression, and how he changed the basic character of traditional portraiture—especially 'historical portraiture'; even creating paradigmatic shift, and participating in the formation of new features, meanings, and values of contemporary portrait expression.
Keywords
Bernard Rancillac, contemporary portrait, narrative figuration