#11400 Riccardo Schweizer

The composition presents a tightly grouped family unit rendered in a style characterized by angular forms and distorted features. Here we see a male figure positioned on the right, his body depicted with broad strokes of ochre and brown, suggesting muscularity but also an unsettling rigidity. He appears to be embracing or protecting another figure situated to his left.
The central figure is complex; it seems to embody both masculine and feminine traits, with a pronounced brow ridge and a somewhat flattened nose alongside softer contours around the mouth. This individual cradles a child in their arms. The infant’s face is rendered with an almost grotesque exaggeration of features – large eyes and a wide, downturned mouth – evoking a sense of vulnerability or perhaps even distress.
The color palette is limited but impactful. Dominant hues of grey-blue and ochre are punctuated by flashes of red, which draw the eye to areas of emotional intensity, particularly around the faces of the figures. The background is largely obscured in shadow, intensifying the focus on the group itself and contributing to a claustrophobic atmosphere.
The artist’s use of perspective is unconventional; spatial relationships appear flattened and compressed, further emphasizing the intimacy – or perhaps entrapment – of the familial bond. The overall effect is one of profound emotional weight, hinting at themes of protection, anxiety, and the complexities inherent in human connection. Theres a sense of underlying tension or unease conveyed through the distorted anatomy and the unsettling expressions on the faces of the figures. It’s possible to interpret this as an exploration of familial responsibility under duress, or perhaps a commentary on the fragility of life itself.