Fries c. 1923 - 1930

Louis Soutter, born in 1871, made this drawing with ink on paper. Soutter spent years as an outsider artist, marked by personal struggles and institutionalization. The stark contrasts in this piece reveal Soutter's emotional landscape, marked by isolation and confinement. The dense, chaotic lines might reflect the turmoil of his internal state, and the way he was trapped in a cycle of poverty and mental instability. Consider the work in the context of the early 20th century, when mental health was stigmatized, and individuals like Soutter were often marginalized. "Fries" compels us to face uncomfortable truths about how society treats its most vulnerable members. It challenges traditional representations of beauty and invites empathy. Soutter's work remains a powerful reminder of the human cost of social neglect.