Framed original
This striking pastel study portrait by Peter Howson creates a powerful narrative that is both unsettling but deeply compelling. It is is rendered on dark paper, focusing on a male figure in a highly expressive and intense state. The subject’s face, dramatically lit from the side, reveals deeply etched lines and exaggerated features, conveying a raw, almost primal emotion.
Howson’s characteristic attention to muscular detail and facial anatomy gives the figure a sculptural quality, while the glowing, reddish tones highlight the figure’s strained, almost haunted expression. Known for his exploration of human strength and vulnerability, Howson invites viewers to confront the depths of human emotion.
| Medium: | Pastel |
| Format: | Paper |
| Size (Framed): | 17.5 x 14.5" |
| Size (Unframed): | 8 x 6" |
| Signed: | Yes |
| Condition: | Excellent |
| Provenance: | Original sales invoice |
Although he was born in London, Peter Howson is perhaps most strongly associated with Glasgow, the city where he grew up, studied art, and has found inspiration for his ongoing examination of the human condition.
Howson had a troubled upbringing, which has notably impacted his style and subject matter. His clear-eyed view of those areas of society which do not always find representation in the art world has gained him acclaim both from critics, and from those who can see themselves and their struggles in his works.
Howson’s work has received attention throughout his career, and his success has grown since he was made artist in residence for the university of St Andrews in 1985. In 1993, he was made Britain’s official war artist for the Bosnian Civil War. He received an OBE for his work in 2009, and has work represented in some of the best known galleries in the world.
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