Untitled (Three Figures)
Artist: Tony Venneman
Year: 1969
Medium: Oil on panel
Style: Art Brut
Raw, expressive, and hauntingly human, this 1969 painting by Belgian Art Brut artist Tony Venneman captures three elongated, childlike figures standing shoulder to shoulder in an undefined space. Painted in thick, impasto oil, their distorted faces and heavy-lidded eyes are carved almost sculpturally into the surface, creating a tactile sense of emotional depth and psychological complexity.
The trio—rendered in vibrant yet muddied tones of turquoise, ochre, rust, and black—appear simultaneously connected and isolated, as if each were wrapped in their own silent world. The figures’ outfits and gestures suggest individuality, yet their closeness and visual rhythm bind them together in a shared, enigmatic narrative.
The background is left bare, a subtle peach-toned panel that offers no setting or context, further amplifying the figures’ surreal presence. The signature “Venneman ‘69” anchors the work in time, but the atmosphere feels timeless—suspended in a psychological dimension more than a physical one.
Venneman’s approach, rooted in the Art Brut tradition, rejects academic polish in favor of visceral expression. This work confronts the viewer with its raw materiality, emotional ambiguity, and the sense that what’s unspoken is far more powerful than what’s seen.
Will be well packaged and protected
Specifications
ConditionGoodColorsGold, Multi ColorMaterialWoodNumber of items1OrientationPortraitArt sizeMediumHeight75 cmWidth61 cm