Portrait of the Doyles 1970

Jack Beal painted this intriguing double portrait of the Doyles using oil on canvas. Note the blankets beneath their feet and the man’s hand raised to his face, as if in contemplation. The blankets, rich with geometric patterns, echo ancient weavings used in rituals across cultures, from the Navajo to the Egyptians. These textiles, often imbued with protective powers, create a symbolic foundation. Consider the gesture of the man's hand—a universal signal of thought. The thinker pose is a motif stretching back to antiquity, seen in sculptures of philosophers and Renaissance portraits of introspective scholars. This act of contemplation connects us to a deeper, shared human experience. It evokes feelings of introspection and the weight of thought, which are deeply rooted in our collective psyche. Beal uses these symbols not merely to depict, but to engage our subconscious, stirring emotions and memories linked to cultural archetypes. These symbols are non-linear, cyclical, and resurface throughout history, evolving and taking on new meanings in different contexts.