La Mise au tombeau 1949

Alfred Manessier made 'La Mise au tombeau' with what looks like screen printing, with strong blacks and vibrant colour contrasts. There’s a real intensity in the way he builds up these colours. It’s like watching the colours fight it out, each one vying for attention. I love the way the solid black hovers over the bright ground, it's a bold statement and a heavy shape. The blue marks seem to be holding it down, the arrows of sadness. Around it, the acid yellow and hot pink feels so emotionally charged. There’s a real sense of feeling in that combination. Manessier reminds me a bit of Rouault with his strong lines and spiritual themes, but he takes it somewhere else, into a kind of abstract grief. It’s a reminder that art can be both beautiful and deeply moving, without giving you all the answers.