Composition with Three Figures II 1964

Curator: Immediately striking is the starkness, almost confrontational, of these three figures. Their backs turned, a deliberate refusal of the viewer's gaze. Editor: T. Lux Feininger, who lived from 1910 to 2011, created this oil on canvas, "Composition with Three Figures II." It’s part of the collection at the Harvard Art Museums, measuring about 76 by 68 centimeters. Curator: The red trousers jump out. It is a challenge. Red traditionally represents passion and revolt. Here, it seems, an assertion of individual strength. Editor: The artist, associated with the Bauhaus, was forced to flee the rise of Nazism. One wonders if these figures represent resilience, or perhaps a silent protest against the forces of oppression. Curator: The facelessness is what stays with me. They become stand-ins, archetypes. We can project our own narratives of defiance onto them. Editor: It prompts us to consider how abstract figures can embody powerful social commentary, especially during times of political unrest. Curator: A powerful piece, it offers us a unique chance to engage with a complex era. Editor: A thoughtful depiction, that leaves one with much to consider.