John (proof for unpublished print) by Chuck Close
Phil by Chuck Close
Self-Portrait by Chuck Close
Leslie by Chuck Close
Big Self-Portrait by Chuck Close
Alex by Chuck Close

Where to See Chuck Close

22 museums worldwide

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About Chuck Close

American · 1940–2021

Painted nine-foot faces from a grid, was paralysed at forty-eight, strapped a brush to his wrist, and kept painting for thirty more years.

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Portrait of Chuck Close
Museums22
Countries5
Most worksNational Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. · 4 works
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Where to see Chuck Close

Ranked by works you can see in person.

View all 22 museums

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Who was Chuck Close influenced by?
    Chuck Close studied at Yale under Josef Albers.
  • How did Chuck Close become paralyzed?
    In 1988, Chuck Close suffered a spinal artery collapse that left him almost completely paralysed.
  • Was Chuck Close cancelled?
    In his later years, Chuck Close faced allegations of sexual harassment, which he partially acknowledged. Several institutions cancelled exhibitions of his work.
  • Why did Chuck Close use the grid method?
    Chuck Close used a grid system that turned a photograph into a mosaic of coloured marks. Painting faces from photographs, grid square by grid square, was partly a way for him to learn faces, as he was face-blind.
  • Was Chuck Close paralyzed?
    In 1988, Chuck Close suffered a spinal artery collapse that left him almost completely paralysed. He was told he would never paint again, but resumed painting within months.
  • Did Chuck Close have face blindness?
    Chuck Close was face-blind (prosopagnosic), meaning that he could not recognise people by their features. Painting faces from photographs, grid square by grid square, was partly a way for him to learn faces through process.
  • When did Chuck Close start painting?
    Chuck Close drew the attention of critics for the first time in 1967 with his large, realistic black and white paintings.
  • Chuck Close art style name?
    Chuck Close is known for painting large-scale photorealist portraits.

Sources

Where to See guide aggregates verified holdings of Chuck Close's works across the following collections.

  1. [1] museum Toledo Museum of Art Used for: museum holdings.
  2. [2] museum Buffalo AKG Art Museum Used for: museum holdings.
  3. [3] museum Cleveland Museum of Art Used for: museum holdings.
  4. [4] museum Museum of Fine Arts Boston Used for: museum holdings.
  5. [5] museum Carnegie Museum of Art Used for: museum holdings.
  6. [6] museum Whitney Museum of American Art Used for: museum holdings.
  7. [7] book Typesetter01, 3638_W_Kleiner.FM_V2.qxd Used for: biography.
  8. [8] book Beard, Lee, 1973- author, Butler, Adam, author; Van Cleave, Claire, author; Fortenberry, Diane, author; Stirling, Susan, author, Beard, Lee, 1973- author, Butler, Adam, author; Van Cleave, Claire, author; Fortenberry, Diane, author; Stirling, Susan, author - The Art Book_ New Edition, Mini Format Used for: biography.

Editorial overseen by Solis Prints. Sources verified 2026-06-28. Click a source for details, or hover over [N] in the page above to preview.

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