Fragment of a Crucifixion (after Francis Bacon) (1999)

Pfeiffer converted a moment of midgame triumph for the Knicks forward Larry Johnson into anguished isolation in a piece titled "Fragment of a Crucifixion (After Francis Bacon)." By simply eliminating the other players, the crowds, even the insignia on his uniform, Mr. Pfeiffer converted Mr. Johnson's arm pumps and energized jubilation into expressions of terror. The player seemed like a hunted animal or a martyr and, either way, a profoundly disturbing metaphor for the plight of the black man in American culture. -Roberta Smith