Grief 1983

Morteza Katouzian created this painting, Grief, using oil on canvas. There’s a kind of classic drama happening here, isn’t there? The ochre and brown palette feels very Old Master-ish. The figure is swathed in shadow, but there’s a real focus on the hands and bare feet. They appear almost luminous in contrast. The folds of the fabric seem soft. I wonder what kind of brush Katouzian used to create that effect. The detail in the hands is so different, more precise. It draws me in to contemplate the gesture and its possible meanings. In some ways it reminds me of the work of Paula Rego. Like Rego, Katouzian is unafraid to address difficult emotions. There’s no easy resolution offered. Instead, we’re left to sit with the work, and with grief itself.