A powerful expressionist study of human connection, drawn with raw, immediate force.
A small group of figures clusters together in an intimate, conspiratorial huddle, their forms defined by bold, energetic strokes of black charcoal against a warm, terracotta ground. Smith uses the full range of the charcoal medium, from sharp, angular lines to soft, smudged shadows, creating a sense of volume and movement. The composition is dominated by the dark, solid form of the central figure seen from behind, a device that draws the viewer in while simultaneously shutting them out, creating a potent narrative of shared secrets and communal bonds.
Jos. Fred Smith was born in 1920 in Le Touqet-Paris Plage. His father was English and his mother Belgian. He trained at the Academy of Fine Arts in Geneva. After the war he settled in Belgium.
Medium: Charcoal on board
Inscription on Front: Signed and dated 'Jos. Fred. SMITH '70' lower right.
Condition: Framed under glass in a vintage gilt wood frame with a linen mat. The drawing and mat are in excellent condition.
