Czóbel Béla Portrait of Girl 1950 1950

Béla Czóbel created this charcoal drawing, *Portrait of Girl*, in 1950. Czóbel, a Hungarian artist, spent time in the Parisian avant-garde before WWI, and his work is infused with expressionistic emotion. Here, Czóbel’s loose, expressive strokes capture a young woman in what appears to be a private moment of reflection. The girl’s gaze is lowered, and her mouth is slightly open, as if she’s about to speak or sigh. We might think about how the post-war period shaped Czóbel’s and his subject’s interiority, and how that might be reflected here. The use of charcoal adds to this somber, yet contemplative mood. It conveys both vulnerability and resilience. Czóbel's rendering of the figure pushes against traditional portraiture by creating a space for emotional complexity. Rather than presenting an idealized image, the artist captures the humanity of the girl, inviting viewers to connect with her on a deeper level.