The artwork titled “Evacuee Boy” was created by Lucian Freud in 1942. It is an expressionistic portrait executed in oil on canvas, and it currently resides in a private collection.
In the artwork, the subject appears as a young boy with an emotionally charged and expressive face, characteristic of the Expressionism art movement. The background is dark, almost black, accentuating the boy’s frail, almost skeletal, form and enhancing the raw and intense brush strokes used to depict his features. His protruding ears, hollow eyes, and disheveled hair reflect a sense of vulnerability and turmoil. The color palette is subdued and somber, dominated by earthy tones and layered textures that give depth to the boy’s distressed appearance. The application of paint is heavy and almost sculptural, emphasizing the pronounced contours and shadows of the boy’s frame and enhancing the poignant mood of the piece.
