Figuren binnen spitse berg - Lucebert

A 1973 ink drawing by Dutch CoBrA artist Lucebert, featuring a cluster of grotesque, hybrid figures emerging from a jagged, mountain-like form.

Lucebert, the pseudonym of Lubertus Jacobus Swaanswijk, was a central figure in the Dutch post-war avant-garde. As a poet and painter, he was associated with the CoBrA movement, which prioritised spontaneous, child-like expression and raw, unmediated creativity. This ink drawing, dated 1973, demonstrates his characteristic approach to line and form. The composition features a cluster of grotesque, hybrid figures emerging from a jagged, mountain-like structure.

The drawing is defined by a dense web of marks. Lucebert employs a rapid, calligraphic line to construct his subjects, which blend human, animal, and monstrous traits. The figures appear to be in a state of flux, their bodies merging with the surrounding environment. The artist uses hatching and cross-hatching to create texture and volume, giving the work a sense of nervous energy. The figures possess wide, staring eyes and distorted features, typical of his interest in the primitive and the subconscious.

By the 1970s, Lucebert had moved away from the initial collective spirit of CoBrA, yet he maintained his commitment to a highly personal, figurative language. This work reflects his ongoing exploration of the human condition through a lens of dark humour and alienation. The sharp, pointed forms of the mountain base contrast with the rounded, organic shapes of the figures, creating a tension between the static and the animated. The work is signed and dated by the artist in the lower left corner, confirming its place within his later graphic output. It offers a glimpse into the artist's ability to transform simple ink lines into complex, psychological narratives that resist easy categorisation.