Katzenbach Portrait by Alan Wood-Thomas

Alan Wood-Thomas

Katzenbach Portrait

oil on paper

Inv: Katzanbach 02

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This expressive profile study depicts Nicholas Katzenbach, a prominent American public servant who served as U.S. Attorney General (1965–1966) and later Under Secretary of State. Rendered with restrained brushwork and a limited palette of warm rose and umber tones, the portrait emphasizes character over detail. Strong modeling of the forehead, nose, and jaw conveys intellectual intensity and moral resolve—qualities associated with Katzenbach’s role in the civil rights era. The loose handling and unfinished edges suggest the immediacy of a preparatory study, revealing the artist’s process while capturing the sitter’s commanding presence.