Regamey, Felix – The figure of a boy in a sailor suit and caricature head Hermitage ~ part 10

The drawing presents a peculiar juxtaposition of childhood innocence and grotesque exaggeration. A young boy, formally attired in a sailor suit – a garment often associated with notions of purity and adventure – stands adjacent to a dramatically rendered caricature head. The boys posture is upright, his expression seemingly neutral, yet the overall effect is unsettling due to the proximity of these disparate elements.
The artist’s choice of color contributes significantly to the work’s impact. The cool blues and whites of the sailor suit contrast sharply with the fiery reds and oranges that dominate the caricature head. This chromatic opposition reinforces the sense of incongruity between the boys conventional appearance and the unsettling nature of his companion.
The caricature itself is striking in its detail. A wild, unkempt beard obscures much of the lower face, while exaggerated features – a prominent nose, wide-set eyes, and a sneering mouth – convey an impression of malice or perhaps manic energy. The inclusion of what appears to be foliage sprouting from the head further enhances this sense of the unnatural and grotesque.
The composition is deliberately unbalanced; the boy occupies a relatively small portion of the frame, while the caricature head looms large, dominating the visual space. This imbalance suggests a power dynamic – the unsettling presence overshadowing the seemingly innocent figure. The handwritten inscription at the bottom adds another layer to the interpretation. Its script and language (French) suggest an academic or personal context, hinting that this might be a study or sketch intended for private contemplation rather than public display.
Subtly, the drawing seems to explore themes of duality – the contrast between appearance and reality, innocence and corruption, control and chaos. The boy’s formal attire could represent societal expectations or imposed identities, while the caricature head embodies something raw, primal, and potentially subversive. It is possible that the work functions as a commentary on the darker aspects of human nature lurking beneath a veneer of respectability, or perhaps an exploration of the anxieties surrounding childhood and its inevitable confrontation with the complexities of the world.