Expressionist Portrait Painting II - Peter Robert Keil 1970

A striking 1970s figurative work by German artist Peter Robert Keil (b. 1942), depicting a stylized female face rendered in sweeping black brushwork against a warm, neutral ground.

Characteristic of Keil’s distinctive approach to portraiture, the composition is reduced to a series of assured, highly graphic gestures. Oversized almond-shaped eyes, an elongated nose, abbreviated mouth and circular earrings create an expressive, almost mask-like quality. The economy of line gives the work a particularly strong visual presence, while reflecting the influence of Picasso, Cubism and the broader European modernist tradition on Keil’s artistic vocabulary.

Executed almost entirely in black, the restrained palette allows the character of the brushwork to become the focus. Subtle variations in density and visible brush endings reveal the immediacy of the artist’s hand and lend the otherwise minimal composition considerable movement.

Signed by the artist at the lower left.

The work is beautifully presented in an elaborate carved giltwood frame with a wonderfully aged, antiqued surface. The ornate, almost Baroque character of the frame provides a compelling counterpoint to the graphic modernity of the portrait, giving the piece the layered, collected quality of an artwork reframed over time.

A particularly decorative example of Keil’s figurative work, equally compelling as a singular statement piece or incorporated into a sophisticated collection of modern and antique works.

Artist: Peter Robert Keil (German, b. 1942)
Period: 1970s
Medium: Painting on paper

Dimensions: 23” x 27” Framed 
Style: Expressionist / Modernist / Figurative
Presentation: Carved giltwood frame
Condition: Very good vintage condition, with age-appropriate wear and patination to the frame.