Protection

Lebanese Modern master Paul Guiragossian is one of the most celebrated artists in the Arab world who has captured the authentic human realities, found within a dynamic and versatile oeuvre exemplified in a wide spectrum between pain, loss along with goodness, love and unity. In one of his signature monochrome works painted in a beautifully radiant light yellow- green, the artist depicts intimacy within its perspective and figuration, articulated within one of his most easily recognizable and highly acclaimed motherhood motif. Painted just one year before the Lebanese civil war in 1974, this work, along with others during the decade depict recognisable figures that oscillate between figuration and abstraction, capturing the essence of its time, in which the colours and shadings alternate between notions of happiness and sadness along with reverence and piety for the suffering caused by the war. Within his compositions, the figure of the woman transforms into a symbol of hope, of continuity, and of freedom, paying homage to women and more specifically to the maternal figure and of motherhood. Capturing manifestations of the human condition found within the human form, Guiragossian offers a unique glimpse into the essence of life and beauty found within humanity.

In the present composition depicting an intimate scene within shades of beautiful light yellowish-green palette, a group of four figures coalesce. Guiragossian's work involves a deep appreciation for religious iconography and it is particularly prominent in the present work. Balanced in tonality and figuration, the figures are painted in lighter green, their presence radiates from them, and one is carrying a lamb, the quintessential symbol for peace, while the other on the right, emerging as a Mary-like figure, stands in front of a figure interpreted as a newborn. The patches of light green paint used to depict her child radiates from the darker green shades in the background and other two figures in the distance. The work’s monochrome palette reflects the complexities in light and shading of the artist, within his ability to experiment with textured impastos to create perspective and depth. A darker green frame-like window surrounding the figures defines the edges of this group, bringing this scene closer together, offering a sense of intimacy reflective of the warmth felt within the scene. Offering a window into the inner workings of the female society that is much found within the interior space, it provides us a special glimpse into the strength of the family, a poignant reminder of the artist’s own family history that articulated notions of exile, despair, abandonment and war. Indicative of its lively and radiant colour palette, he exemplifies happiness and peace depicting figures that lack facial features; these women become faceless imprints that are exemplified in carefully articulated brushstrokes; the group appears united in the present scene however their figurations are adjacent and never overlap, clearly separated apart from each other. Celebrating a happy event that is clearly structured and composed, the work embodies dynamic and musical rhythms, found within a succession of carved linear and curved lines, emanating a feeling of luminosity and radiating inner light.

The present work encapsulates the troubled past of the artist, from the troubles caused by the Armenian Genocide and the painful memories of his family’s forced relocation to Beirut. Painted during the era leading up to the Lebanese civil war, it is a harsh reminder of the ensuing violence and destruction to come, finding the family unit as untouchable from disaster, offering a sense of hope and comfort within the ensuing darkness ahead.