Drie wezens - Lucebert

A 1973 drawing by Dutch CoBrA artist Lucebert, featuring three abstracted, colourful figures rendered in crayon and ink.

Lucebert, born Lubertus Jacobus Swaanswijk, was a central figure in the Dutch post-war avant-garde. As a poet and painter, he operated within the CoBrA movement, which prioritised spontaneous expression and a rejection of traditional aesthetic constraints. This work, titled Drie wezens (Three Beings), demonstrates his characteristic approach to figuration. The composition features three distinct, abstracted entities rendered with a sense of urgency and playfulness.

Lucebert employs a graphic style, using thin, decisive outlines to define the forms of these creatures. The interior of each figure is filled with segmented patches of colour, primarily green, yellow, blue, and orange. These geometric fragments create a mosaic effect, breaking down the anatomy of the subjects into rhythmic, non-representational patterns. The background remains largely sparse, allowing the figures to occupy the space without the need for environmental context.

Typical of his later work, the drawing reflects an interest in the grotesque and the childlike. The figures possess wide, staring eyes and simplified limbs, suggesting a primitive or mythical origin. The use of crayon provides a tactile quality to the surface, with visible strokes and varying pressure. The date, 27 January 1973, is inscribed clearly in the lower right corner, a common practice for the artist who often documented his daily creative output. This piece offers a clear view into his method of working, where the boundary between drawing and painting is blurred through the application of colour within linear structures. It is an example of his ability to balance chaotic energy with a controlled, rhythmic application of medium, resulting in a work that feels both immediate and carefully considered.