Dorian Gray Portrait

Within the delicate brushstrokes of the artist lies an image of vitality and beauty, comprising the portrait of one young and misguided individual. Driven by his desire to fulfill his lustful temptations, he evolves, the man in the frame, into an individual so vile one cannot stand near without inhaling his moral corruption. Physically, the man of the portrait, Dorian Gray, as having sold his soul to retain his current health and beauty, remains ageless and pristine as he continues in the pursuit of all his wants. However, as time passes, the portrait ages and fades, collecting the years of sin and immorality of the man who once inspired an artist, consequently becoming a reflection of Gray’s deep-rooted identity. The once exquisite image of …show more content…
Shells and rocks scattered throughout the sand glitter in the sun’s rays. Stepping into the frigid sea with bare feet, I feel the small caress my ankles, as if asking me to venture in further. Dodging the waves became a game between my sister and I as we embraced the sprays of the salty sea until one us was brave enough to submerge. Hours spent splashing and floating in the surf, somedays finding treasure (like shells, sea glass or intricate rocks for our collection) or chasing schools of minnows in the shallows, each day rediscovering the adventure of the sea. For me, various blues and greens of these early memories, and a love for adventure and new discoveries, lie beneath the colors of new experience. Identity as a whole in continuous and changing, however that underlying element of constancy beneath the changing surface keeps our perception of self deeply rooted in where we originate. Initial memories formed from our environment act as the first layer of color on our canvas, blending into subsequent hues, influencing the new colors and experiences of the oeuvre. As in Wilde’s depiction of Dorian Gray in his infamous portrait highlights the subject’s true qualities, so too does the painting we conjure within our mind emphasize our identity. Through experience we change and through others’ views we portray on outward personality, and yet the constancy of our childhood home remains the background on our canvas. But with each day the artist rolls up their sleeve, studies the palette, and paints, inspired by daily experience, past memories, and outside influence, ultimately comprising a current composition of their