Jan Yoors, (Belgium, 1922-1977). Signed, framed and dated. The charcoal drawings are a series that Yoors began in the late 1940s, and which he continued throughout his career. They simultaneously stand apart and blend into his work in other media comprising tapestry, sculpture, and photography. These drawings executed on thick tan paper, reminiscent of the paper used by his father, are first loosely sketched, and then strongly defined in charcoal. They depict linear, often profile, studies of the female figure usually depicting most of the body though rarely including the head and facial features. Throughout this series, the thickness of the outlines becomes more pronounced, and the recognizable volumes of the body fall away as original sketches become less evident. “I loved to see these figures being conceived, grow and pass through the different states of transition. Thus grew in me a great respect, understanding and love of the human body, which for me had a divine quality.” – Jan Yoors