FRANCIS NEWTON SOUZA (1924-2002)

Frightened Head was painted in 1957, at the apex of Francis Newton Souza’s artistic career. This painting’s history traces the story of the Souza's rapid rise from a struggling artist, freshly arrived in London, to an internationally acclaimed modern master. During the late 1950s, a vital period in his career, Souza finally achieved the critical and financial success he sought in his artistic career. Souza held his first solo exhibition in 1955 at Gallery One in London, directed by the famed art dealer and poet, Victor Musgrave. Located in London's bohemian Soho, Gallery One was notorious for both Musgrave’s refusal to show any known ‘commercial’ artists and its program that focused instead on the new and shocking genre of Outsider Art. Musgrave took a chance on artists he believed in and his prescient decision gave Souza his break as an artist.

The present lot was formerly part of the collection of the late Robin Jared Stanley Howard, CBE. While Musgrave is credited with much of Gallery One’s successes, it would not have been possible without Howard, a man who shared his vision and was his silent investor. Howard was a great supporter of Souza’s avant-garde style and became one of his first and most important patrons. Souza’s relationship with Howard spurred the genesis of his artistic career, which had only recently come fully into the public view. Howard became captivated by the vivacious talent of Souza, encouraging him to submit works for his first major exhibition in London.

Howard’s support and encouragement soon yielded results. In a few years, Souza had widely exhibited his work which drew praise from John Berger, the renowned art critic, who devoted a whole article to it in the New Statesman. Further acclaim came from key art critics of the time including Edward Mullins and David Sylvester, who likened the expressionistic, disfigured nature of Souza's figuration to that of Graham Sutherland and Francis Bacon, with whom he exhibited at the time. Souza's decade long association with the iconic Gallery One firmly cemented his position among the city's artistic elite.

Frightened Head is an exemplar of Souza’s early grotesque style that drew the attention of Musgrave and Howard. Unusually for Souza, who frequently depicted woman as creatures of beauty, purity or desire, this Frightened Head portrays a terrified subject in quarter length format. Rich impasto broken with thick black lines reveals a menacing mask like face with an elongated totemic snout, reminiscent of African tribal masks. Gritted teeth resemble steel grills framing the black gaping mouth, seemingly howling in anguish. Using a chalky colored background to heighten his subject and her features, Souza imbues this terrified woman with his signature dynamism and vitality.