“Lili (masque)” is a sculpture created by the artist Jean Dubuffet in 1936. As a work produced during a period that was heavily influenced by Expressionism, the artwork reflects the characteristics typical of this art movement. Expressionism often emphasizes subjective interpretation, distorting reality for emotional effect. The genre of this work is sculpture, indicating a three-dimensional form created by the artist.
The artwork presents a mask-like visage with prominently simplified features. The face is predominantly white, providing a stark contrast to the bold, red-brown color of the hair and lips. The eyes are rendered with a captivating green, accentuating an intense gaze, while the rest of the facial features are outlined in a way that suggests a focus more on the expression than on realistic portrayal. The overall form and expression on the face carry a sense of raw emotion, a hallmark of the Expressionist movement, where the inner feelings or states of mind are projected onto the external form. The sculpture demonstrates a departure from traditional aesthetics, favoring a more abstracted and emotional representation typical of Dubuffet’s approach to art.