About
Figurative Abstraction
Copying the human form with accuracy sometimes feels inexpressive – a test of technical skill, perhaps. Representing the human body in simplified form while retaining sense has captured the imagination of artists for more than a century. It is fun to see just what is possible with just a palette knife.
Inspiration
Figurative abstraction can be many things to many people. For me, it is the combination of the human figure with the abstract, something more than an impressionistic statement. Artist Francis Bacon (1909-1992) was well known for taking the concept to an extreme.
“…that man who paints those dreadful pictures.”
Margaret Thatcher, assessing the artwork of Francis Bacon
