Paul Storey, Three Figures with a Dog, 1980s, Oil on Canvas

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Large Oil on Canvas by Paul Storey, "Three Figures with a Dog" 

A large and theatrically composed oil on canvas … Read more Large Oil on Canvas by Paul Storey, "Three Figures with a Dog" 

A large and theatrically composed oil on canvas by British painter Paul Storey (b. 1957), known for his psychologically charged figuration and dramatic handling of the human form.

In this dreamlike tableau, three figures — two clothed, one nude — occupy a shallow, stage-like space suffused with ambiguous tension. At center, a woman in a flowing red robe gestures outward, caught mid-turn between resistance and surrender. To her left, a youth in a belted tunic appears to either guide or restrain her. A cherubic nude child stands opposite, quietly self-contained, while a ghostly greyhound lies watchfully at their feet. Behind them, fragments of architecture and sky lend a sense of liminal space — both interior and mythic.

Executed in a muted palette of reds, greens, and ochres, the painting carries echoes of Renaissance composition and Symbolist mood, yet remains firmly modern in its psychological ambiguity. Storey’s brushwork is supple and assured, with softly blended forms that seem to hover between presence and illusion.

An arresting and emotionally layered work from one of Britain’s more elusive post-war painters. See less