Béla Czóbel Dévényi Ivan 1964 1964

Béla Czóbel painted this monochrome portrait of Dévényi Ivan in 1964, probably using charcoal or perhaps oil paint thinned to a wash. The painting seems to have emerged from a process of constant shifting, with the artist layering and adjusting the marks to find the form. I bet Czóbel made this in one sitting, trying to capture the essence of his friend. I imagine he stepped back from the canvas a lot. What was he thinking as he looked at Ivan? What did he see? How did he feel? There’s a real sense of energy, like the artist was trying to capture something fleeting. The marks around the eyes seem particularly charged; they communicate both intensity and vulnerability. It reminds me a little of some of Marlene Dumas’s portraits, or maybe even a quick sketch by Manet. Painters are always looking at each other, finding inspiration.