Francis Newton Souza

There are minor cracks in the pigment in areas of impasto, notable in the outlines of the two figures. In overall good condition, as viewed. The red and orange strokes appear more saturated in print than reality.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

This depiction of a suited man and woman is a representation of a couple that conveys a distinct power imbalance. Recalling back to Édouard Manet’s Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe, circa 1863, depicting young dandies picnicking with a forward gazing nude woman, this predilection with modernity suggests an incongruity between man and woman. Souza shows the man in a suit-and-tie with the woman as a type of commodity figure – underscoring their unequal status. The female figure with features obscured is the every woman, like her predecessor in Manet’s work, unrestrained by society’s mores.
Souza’s depiction of women is multi layered, ranging from the maternal to the carnal, from the pacifist to the demonic; with a host of emotional responses in between his twin concerns of religion and eroticism which informs the majority of his life’s work.
Could this be the artist and his model, a Galatea-like-muse? There was a romanticized misogyny that was prevalent in the 1960s, whether it is Souza, Francis Bacon, and Lucian Freud.