Face above the Procession

About the work

A large face sits left of centre, with the broad arc of the shoulders occupying the lower sheet. Sharp diagonals, crosshatching and heavy black passages build its features. A horizontal band of small angular silhouettes runs above the shoulders. Larger elongated figures stand at the edges, while several dark marks occupy the open space to the right of the head.

The composition combines the close view of a portrait with the smaller scale of a surrounding scene. The horizontal gathers the little figures into something resembling a procession, although their movements remain schematic. The pale chest offers a pause after the densely worked face. This gives the portrait weight and stability even as the surrounding lines intersect and change direction.