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Jean Hanna

About Jean Hanna

Solemn crayon faces that hold their stare

Jean Hanna is a Syrian artist born in 1981 in Kamchli. He studied at the Faculty of Fine Arts in both Damascus and Aleppo, developing a wide range of styles that move between portrait, crayon on canvas and expressive figurative work. His crayon pieces are solemn, emotional and show the depth of his technical skill.

Artist Jean Hanna
Artist Jean Hanna

He spent many years working in animation, graphic design and teaching visual communication. Even when the path felt a bit unsertain, he kept building his craft through illustration, design and constant artistic practice. His portraits carry strong character and quiet intensity, shaped by years of observing faces and stories.

“His solemn and poignant crayon on canvas exemplifies an appealing testimony to the brilliance of his art.”

Jean Hanna has worked as a designer for animation characters, a lecturer guiding graduation projects, and a creator of more than 50 children’s stories. He has participated in many national and international exhibitions, including a solo show in 2011. Small misstakes in line or shade add honesty to his portraits.

  • Syrian portrait artist trained in Damascus and Aleppo, known for emotional crayon on canvas.
  • Worked in animation, graphic design and teaching, shaping a broad visual language.
  • Exhibited nationally and internationally, including a solo show and many art activities.

Soft color settles on quiet faces,
holding stories in gentle tone.
A moment rises from the page,
where human truth is softly shown.

  • Young woman with short dark curls, a red drop earring and floral blouse beside pink and yellow magnolias on a blue background
    Woman with magnolias, Jean Hanna. Oil painting.
    A young woman with short dark curls and a red drop earring looks over her shoulder at the viewer. Pink and yellow magnolia blossoms rise beside her floral blouse against a streaked blue-grey background. Jean Hanna pairs soft, glowing skin tones with loose, dripping brushwork in the background. Signed lower left; title and date are not confirmed.
  • Young woman with long dark hair and green eyes in a dark top, softly blended against a pale grey background
    Green-eyed girl with long dark hair, Jean Hanna. Oil painting.
    A young woman with long dark hair and green eyes gazes calmly at the viewer. Her face is rendered in smooth, glowing detail while her hair and shoulders melt into soft, streaked washes of grey, teal and orange. This blend of precision and dissolving edges is a signature of Jean Hanna's portraits. Signed left; title and date are not confirmed.
  • Man with thick wavy black hair and a short beard looking sideways over his shoulder in a dark coat, cream background
    Portrait of a dark-haired man, Jean Hanna, 2005.
    A man with thick, wavy black hair and a trimmed beard turns his head to give the viewer an intense sideways look. His face is modeled in warm, detailed tones while the dark coat fades into a pale cream background. Signed and dated 2005 by Jean Hanna. Sitter, title and medium are not confirmed.
  • Young woman in profile with lowered eyes wearing a crown of thorns over a pale headscarf, a drop of blood on her brow
    Woman with a crown of thorns, Jean Hanna. Oil painting.
    A young woman in a pale headscarf bows her head in profile, a crown of thorns resting on her brow and a drop of blood on her forehead. Warm orange light surrounds her against a misty green and grey background. The thorn crown, a symbol of Christ's Passion, gives this tender portrait a spiritual weight. Signed lower right; title and date are not confirmed.
  • Young woman with long auburn hair and grey eyes glancing over a bare shoulder in a white slip, pale green abstract background
    Woman with auburn hair, Jean Hanna. Oil painting.
    A young woman with long auburn hair looks over her bare shoulder in a white slip, her grey eyes meeting the viewer. Smooth, luminous skin contrasts with loose, gestural strokes of grey and green in the background. The mix of finish and spontaneity reflects Jean Hanna's contemporary portrait style. Signed lower right; title and date are not confirmed.
  • Young woman with loose auburn curls and brown eyes, softly vignetted in an oval of pale gold and blue tones
    Woman with auburn curls, Jean Hanna. Oil painting.
    A young woman with loose auburn curls and steady brown eyes is framed by a soft oval vignette of gold, blue and cream tones. Her dark bodice dissolves into pale, textured edges. The oval format recalls classical cameo and Renaissance portraits, reworked in Jean Hanna's airy style. Signed lower left; title and date are not confirmed.
  • Blonde woman in a teal top with a robin perched on her shoulder, faint halo, against a streaked pink and blue background
    Blonde woman with a robin, Jean Hanna. Oil painting.
    A blonde woman with a low side ponytail and a teal top faces the viewer, a European robin perched on her shoulder. A faint halo line circles her head against a background of dripping pink, blue and peach streaks. The bird and halo add a gentle, symbolic note to Jean Hanna's contemporary portrait. Signed lower left; title and date are not confirmed.
  • Bearded painter in a flat cap and glasses holding a palette beside a large portrait of a young woman on a teal background
    Painter beside a large portrait, studio photograph. Likely Jean Hanna.
    A bearded painter in a flat cap, glasses and maroon sweater holds a palette beside a large canvas showing a young woman with dark swept-back hair. The portrait's polished face and dripping, unfinished lower edges show Jean Hanna's typical approach. This is a studio photograph rather than a painting; the identity of the man is assumed to be the artist but not confirmed.
  • Painter in glasses working on a large portrait of a young woman with a pink headband, long auburn hair and a pendant necklace
    Painter working on a large portrait, studio photograph. Likely Jean Hanna.
    A painter in glasses and a mint sweater works on a large canvas of a young woman with long auburn hair, a pink headband, a pendant necklace and a blue patterned top. The portrait's luminous face contrasts with loose, scraped grey strokes behind. This studio photograph shows the scale of the artist's work; the man is assumed to be Jean Hanna but not confirmed.
  • Young woman in a white hooded veil holding the fabric at her chest, a soft gold halo behind her head
    Veiled woman with a golden halo, Jean Hanna. Oil painting.
    A young woman wrapped in a white hooded veil gazes downward, one hand holding the fabric at her chest. A large, softly brushed gold halo glows behind her head against pale, streaked whites and greys. The halo and veil evoke traditional images of the Virgin Mary in a modern, gentle style. Signed lower right; title and date are not confirmed.
  • Young woman with long chestnut hair and green eyes in a white T-shirt facing forward against a muted green and orange background
    Green-eyed girl in a white T-shirt, Jean Hanna, 2015. Oil painting.
    A young woman with long chestnut hair and striking green eyes looks straight at the viewer, wearing a simple white T-shirt. Her smooth, glowing face stands out against a softly mottled background of green, grey and warm orange. The direct gaze and calm symmetry give the portrait quiet intensity. Signed and dated 2015 lower left.
  • Young woman with long dark hair in a blue and orange striped shirt framed by a painted oval of turquoise, grey and gold
    Woman in a striped shirt, Jean Hanna. Oval portrait.
    A young woman with long dark hair and a serious expression faces the viewer, wearing a blue shirt with orange stripes. She is set inside a loosely painted oval of turquoise, grey and gold strokes on a pale ground. The vivid frame contrasts with her calm, detailed face. Signed lower right; title, date and medium are not confirmed.
  • Sepia-toned portrait of a young woman with wavy dark hair and brown eyes, softly hatched against a cream background
    Sepia portrait of a woman with wavy hair, Jean Hanna.
    A young woman with loose, wavy dark hair looks at the viewer with calm brown eyes. Rendered in warm sepia and brown tones, her face is finely modeled while visible hatching and soft smudges fade toward the cream ground. The limited palette gives the image the feel of a classical drawing. Signed lower right; title, date and medium are not confirmed.
  • Black and white portrait of a young woman with a dark bob and side fringe over one eye, open-collared shirt, drips below
    Grayscale portrait of a woman with a side fringe, Jean Hanna.
    A young woman with a dark bob and side-swept fringe partly covering one eye stares directly at the viewer, wearing an open-collared shirt. Worked entirely in greys and blacks, the face is softly detailed while drips and loose strokes break up the lower edges. Signed lower right; title, date and medium are not confirmed.
  • Painter crouched beside a large grayscale canvas of a seated woman with a top bun, white camisole and grey blanket
    Painter at work on a grayscale portrait, studio photograph. Likely Jean Hanna.
    A painter in glasses crouches with a brush beside a large grayscale canvas of a young woman seated in a white camisole, a heavy blanket draped across her lap and a messy bun on her head. The soft, horizontal grey background focuses attention on her direct gaze. This studio photograph is assumed to show Jean Hanna; not confirmed.
  • Man in glasses and a pink T-shirt standing beside a large framed portrait of a green-eyed girl with long chestnut hair on an easel
    Painter beside a framed portrait on an easel, studio photograph. Likely Jean Hanna.
    A man in glasses and a pink T-shirt stands next to a large framed portrait on an easel, showing the green-eyed girl in a white T-shirt dated 2015 elsewhere in this gallery. The photograph reveals the life-size scale of the work. The man is assumed to be Jean Hanna; identity not confirmed.
  • Young woman with short reddish hair dissolving into paint splashes, white T-shirt, against a streaked turquoise background
    Young woman with red splashed hair, Jean Hanna. Mixed technique.
    A young woman with short reddish hair looks straight ahead, her hair breaking into loose splashes and drips of crimson and magenta. A white T-shirt fades into the bottom edge against a streaked turquoise background. The watercolor-like spatters mix freely with the careful facial modeling. Signed right; title, date and exact medium are not confirmed.
  • Young woman in a blue shirt posing beside a large grayscale painting of a woman with closed eyes wrapped in a white sheet
    Model beside a grayscale portrait, photograph. Painting by Jean Hanna.
    A young woman in a blue shirt stands beside a large grayscale canvas showing a woman with closed eyes and tousled hair, wrapped from shoulders to knees in a white sheet. The draped folds are rendered with sculptural softness against a misty grey background. The photograph appears to show the painting with its sitter; identities are not confirmed.
  • Young woman with a ponytail and blue eyes, a dark tear trail on one cheek, before a round turquoise watercolor halo
    Woman with a turquoise halo, Jean Hanna. Mixed technique on paper.
    A young woman with a loose ponytail glances sideways, a dark tear of mascara running down one cheek. Behind her head floats a round turquoise watercolor wash like a halo, set on warm toned paper. The mix of drawing and watercolor gives the portrait a fragile, emotional quality. Signed lower left; title, date and medium are not confirmed.
  • Warm monochrome portrait of a young woman with long straight brown hair facing the viewer on a pale toned ground
    Monochrome portrait of a woman with long hair, Jean Hanna.
    A young woman with long, straight brown hair falling past her shoulders looks directly at the viewer with a calm expression. Worked in warm sepia and grey tones, the face is softly modeled while the hair is built from fine, flowing strokes. The restrained palette recalls academic charcoal studies. Signed lower left; title, date and medium are not confirmed.
  • Young woman with loosely pinned dark hair and grey-blue eyes before washes of orange, yellow and violet with faint handwriting
    Woman with loose dark hair and color washes, Jean Hanna.
    A young woman with loosely pinned dark hair and grey-blue eyes faces the viewer. Behind her, soft washes of orange and yellow meet bold violet brushstrokes, with faint handwritten words at the left. The finely drawn face set against free, abstract color is typical of Jean Hanna's mixed approach. Signed lower left; title, date and medium are not confirmed.
  • Young woman with dark curly hair pinned up, gazing sideways, a pale circular halo behind her on a grey toned ground
    Young woman with curls and a pale halo, Jean Hanna.
    A young woman with dark curly hair pinned up turns slightly, her calm eyes looking past the viewer. A pale circular disc behind her head reads like a halo on a soft grey ground scattered with faint handwriting. Delicate shading and small drips at the lower edge are hallmarks of Jean Hanna's drawn portraits. Signed lower left; title, date and medium are not confirmed.
  • Black and white drawing of an older man with tousled grey hair, a full grey beard and a mole on his cheek
    Portrait of a bearded man, Jean Hanna, 2005. Drawing.
    An older man with tousled grey hair and a full, bristly beard looks directly at the viewer with heavy-lidded eyes. Every wrinkle and hair is built from fine tonal strokes in black and grey on white. The highly detailed realism shows Jean Hanna's skill as a draftsman. Signed and dated 2005 lower right; sitter and medium are not confirmed.
  • Sepia drawing of a smiling middle-aged man with slicked-back greying hair, a thin mustache, open collar and neckerchief
    Portrait of a smiling man with a mustache, Jean Hanna, 2005. Drawing.
    A middle-aged man with slicked-back greying hair and a thin mustache smiles warmly, glancing to the side. He wears an open-collared shirt and a dark neckerchief. Rendered in warm sepia tones on a cream ground, the drawing has the polish of a vintage studio portrait. Signed and dated 2005 lower right; sitter and medium are not confirmed.
  • Older man with swept grey hair, deep wrinkles and a stern squint, wearing a white shirt and dark striped tie
    Portrait of an older man in a shirt and tie, Jean Hanna.
    An older man with swept-back grey hair and deeply lined skin narrows his eyes in a stern, steady look. He wears a crisp white shirt and dark striped tie against a warm grey ground with faint drips. Touches of red, blue and green enliven the weathered face. Signed lower left; sitter, title, date and medium are not confirmed.
  • Middle-aged man with thick black hair and a heavy mustache in a grey jacket and striped open-collared shirt, cream background
    Portrait of a man with a black mustache, Jean Hanna.
    A middle-aged man with thick black hair and a heavy mustache meets the viewer's gaze with a serious, tired expression. He wears a grey jacket over a striped open-collared shirt, fading into a pale cream ground. Fine detail in the lined face shows Jean Hanna's attention to character. Signed left; sitter, title, date and medium are not confirmed.
  • Close-up of a young woman with dark eyes in a loosely painted orange and blue headscarf against a pale grey background
    Woman in an orange headscarf, Jean Hanna. Oil painting.
    A close-up of a young woman with dark, expressive eyes looking slightly upward. Her face is smoothly modeled while her headscarf is painted in loose, energetic strokes of orange, rust and pale blue. The warm scarf against a cool grey ground gives the portrait vivid contrast. Signed lower right; title and date are not confirmed.
  • Young woman with green eyes, hair in a bun and a gold square earring glancing over her shoulder against a bold red background
    Woman with a gold earring on red, Jean Hanna. Oil painting.
    A young woman with green eyes and dark hair swept into a bun glances over her bare shoulder, a small gold square earring catching the light. Behind her, a translucent grey veil drifts across a vivid red ground. The smooth finish and bold color field give this portrait a striking, modern elegance. Signed lower left; title and date are not confirmed.

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