In Face - Italian, part of Pierre Sernet’s Face series, the artist presents a close-up of an ancient stone sculpture with a dignified, timeless expression. The figure’s rugged, weathered features and flowing beard hint at classical Roman or Greek influences, connecting it to the artistic heritage of Italy. The rough texture of the stone and the faint traces of wear evoke the passage of time, underscoring the endurance of human representation across centuries. Sernet’s choice to focus on these statuesque features invites viewers to engage with an embodiment of humanity that feels both historical and eternal.

The gaze of the sculpture is calm, its eyes almost introspective, as if contemplating the viewer across millennia. This choice of subject aligns with Sernet’s intent in the Face series: to distill each face to its most essential elements, erasing any indicators of specific time or place. By capturing only the eyes, nose, and mouth, Sernet reduces these faces to a universal form, emphasizing our shared humanity beyond cultural or ethnic distinctions.

Face - Italian conveys a sense of stoic beauty, reminiscent of the classical ideals seen in sculptures by ancient Roman artists. Yet, through Sernet’s lens, this figure is transformed into an emblem of continuity—an echo of countless faces that have endured through art. By stripping away ornamentation and focusing solely on the face’s core features, Sernet creates a bridge between the viewer and the past, a reminder of how expressions, ideals, and human presence transcend the barriers of time and culture.