Longshoremen, 1940 Brittain, Miller oil on masonite 50.8 x 63.4 cm
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Composition: |
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The men are crowded into a confined space. They are linked by their individual hand gestures and glances and this animates and accentuates the intensity of the scene. In the immediate foreground and to the left, the two men smoking cigarettes show signs of anxiety but seem to be resigned to their situation while the two men to the right seem to question and argue the issues. The central figure, in the form of a triangle, strides forward and can be interpreted as a symbol of hope. He is also the brightest and youngest figure in the composition. The man in the right hand foreground whose head has been cropped is lighting a cigarette. For the overall composition Brittain used tones of brown, grey and orange and blue greens for the central figure.
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