Team - Richard Foster Yarde

A 1982 watercolour portrait by Richard Foster Yarde, depicting a group of young men in a formal team arrangement using fluid washes of blue and green.

Richard Foster Yarde, a painter known for his mastery of watercolour, produced this work in 1982. The composition depicts a group of seven young men, arranged in a formal team portrait style. Yarde employs a distinctive technique, using broad, fluid washes of colour to define both the figures and the surrounding space. The palette is dominated by deep blues and greens, punctuated by warmer ochre and red accents found in the uniforms and footwear.

The figures are rendered with a sense of quiet composure. Yarde avoids excessive detail, opting instead for a structural approach where the shapes of the bodies and the folds of the clothing are suggested through layered pigment. The background is a simplified, block-like green field that pushes the figures forward, creating a sense of presence without relying on traditional perspective. The artist's control over the medium is evident in the way the colours bleed into one another, softening the edges of the forms while maintaining the integrity of the group structure.

This piece reflects Yarde's interest in the human form and the social dynamics of groups. By focusing on the collective identity of the team, he captures a moment of stillness. The work is characteristic of his approach to portraiture, where the subject is treated with a balance of observation and abstraction. The paper texture remains visible, adding a tactile quality to the print that complements the fluid nature of the original watercolour application. This museum-grade print captures the subtle variations in tone and the specific layering of the original, ensuring the integrity of the artist's vision is maintained.