#11855 Raymond Daussy (1918-)

The composition presents a striking juxtaposition of interior and exterior spaces, anchored by a central figure whose emotional state dominates the foreground. Here we see a woman, rendered in stark, almost sculptural fashion, her face contorted in a grimace of anguish or perhaps exertion. Her hands are clasped tightly around what appears to be a rough-hewn wooden beam, which serves as both a physical barrier and a symbolic threshold.
Above this figure, an expansive window frame dominates the upper portion of the canvas. The glass panes are fragmented into geometric shapes, creating a stained-glass effect that lends a sense of fractured reality or distorted perception. Through these panes, a sky is visible, transitioning from a pale blue to fiery orange near the horizon line. A solitary figure, seemingly suspended in mid-air, reaches upwards towards this light. Rays of illumination emanate from his outstretched hand, suggesting aspiration, hope, or perhaps divine intervention.
The architectural elements – the window frame and the wooden beam – contribute significantly to the painting’s layered meaning. The window acts as a portal, separating the interior world of emotional turmoil from the external realm of possibility. The beam, held by the woman, seems to both restrain her and provide a precarious platform for the ascending figure above.
The color palette is restrained but impactful. Earth tones dominate the foreground, emphasizing the weight and physicality of the woman’s struggle. In contrast, the sky offers a vibrant counterpoint, hinting at transcendence or escape. The overall effect is one of profound psychological tension – a visual representation of internal conflict, aspiration versus constraint, and the yearning for something beyond immediate reach. The painting suggests themes of sacrifice, burden, and the complex relationship between individual suffering and collective hope.