Leyris, Jean, The Inner Courtyard, 2013
2013
Charcoal on paper
98 x 129 cm
In “La cour intérieure”, Jean Leyris deploys his mastery of charcoal to depict a courtyard where a dark, closed gate occupies the center of the composition. An open door on the right and a ladder on the left add a narrative dimension to the composition. The influence of his experience in cinema and stage direction is felt, giving this work an almost theatrical dimension where every element of the décor seems carefully chosen. The viewer feels that architectural and natural environments have deeply influenced his art.
About the author
Jean Leyris (born 1939)
Jean Leyris’ work is distinguished by his bas-reliefs of still lifes on table corners, figures on beds, landscapes or trees alone; subjects that traditionally take up more space on the canvas. A strong sense of frontality emerges from his works, with protruding points, the relief of a piece of fruit, the diagonal of a knife. He also creates figures in the round, with worked materials that have an authority, presence and monumentality reminiscent of Giacometti.
