Michel Ciry (1919–2018) Solitude Of Jesus - Oil On Canvas

Michel Ciry (1919–2018) Solitude of Jesus Oil on canvas Signed lower left Dimensions: 35 × 31.5 cm (unframed) 47.5 × 34.5 cm (framed) This moving composition, entitled Solitude of Jesus, perfectly represents the spiritual and introspective world of Michel Ciry. The artist depicts Christ asleep or in contemplation, draped in a deep red garment, symbolic of the Passion. The withdrawn posture, closed eyes, and gentle expression convey a profound, almost silent, inner peace. In the background, a white, almost ethereal figure stands out against a stark landscape of green and purple tones, creating a mystical and meditative atmosphere. The work evokes isolation, inner suffering, and the human dimension of Jesus, themes dear to the artist. The limited palette, the precise treatment of the hands, and the economy of effect are typical of Ciry's style, oscillating between poetic realism and contemporary symbolism. Presented in a wide gold and black frame that highlights the depth of the colors, the painting is a powerful and spiritual work, particularly representative of Michel Ciry's religious dimension. Biography: Michel Ciry was a French painter, engraver, draftsman, watercolorist, and writer, born in Paris on August 31, 1919, and died in 2018. A profoundly spiritual artist, he is one of the most singular representatives of 20th-century French figurative art. Trained in drawing and music from a very young age, he first became a recognized engraver, exhibiting his work from the 1940s onward. His prints were quickly acquired by major international museums, including the British Museum, MoMA, and the Bibliothèque nationale de France. From From the 1950s onward, Ciry devoted himself more to painting, developing an immediately recognizable aesthetic: spare representations, introspective portraits, silent atmospheres, and biblical and meditative themes. His style blends realism, symbolism, and religious introspection, often within a deliberately restrained palette. In 1964, he settled permanently in Varengeville-sur-Mer, Normandy, where he founded a museum dedicated to his work. Michel Ciry also authored numerous journals, reflections, and spiritual writings. His profoundly human pictorial work remains highly sought after for its expressive power and timeless quality.