055 Beggar
Oil on canvas, double framed
725mm x 625mm
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This beggar was sitting outside a bagel sandwich shop in the New City of Jerusalem. As people were walking by, I noticed him sitting in the corner reaching out for some help. It was astonishing to me to see how oblivious people were to his desperate condition. Furthermore he was not a young man, and had no shoes. He became the focus of my attention in this painting. I used stronger tones of grey blues than the rest of the people in the composition, to boldly emphasise him sitting to the right of the painting.
A tension is expressed between the one man who turns to give a coin to the beggar, who in turn reaches out his little cup to receive. This creates an interesting diagonal between the giver and the receiver. This is contrasted to the figure of the woman painted in off whites, to the right of the painting, who clutches her purse tightly.
In this painting the story is clearly expressed with a very literal theme, yet too gives the viewer a sense of reflecting on the subject matter depicted.
The brickwork of the floor is painted in a flat pattern of varying shades of pale grey blues, greys, and fresh soft light blues, which is contrasted with the whites, and textured greys, and blue greys of the wall to the right of the painting.
The frame I chose is further interesting in colour, with a strong dark inner frame, and a thicker cream outer frame, emphasising the strength of the painting as a whole.