Le masque étrusque

Le masque étrusque, whose title is inscribed on the reverse, brings together a sculpted face in profile, a dark vase and several rounded forms on a pale ledge. Facing right, the mask draws attention through its ivory colour and the precise outline of its eye. Behind it, the neck of the vase stands against a grey background with cloudlike variations. Jean Roll organises the composition through curves and contrasts. The dark volumes on the left are balanced by the light face and a small white form, while a transparent vessel on the right allows light to pass through. Greys, blacks and cream tones make up the palette. The objects remain distinct, but their shadows unite them within a quiet space. The mask lends this still life an unusual presence: an unmoving face seems to inhabit the arrangement of objects. The dialogue between familiar forms and this profile from another time may suggest an encounter between everyday life and memory. Jean Roll was born in Geneva in 1921 and died in Mies, Switzerland, in 2015.