Southern grass III

Two nude, ruddy-skinned figures advance from left and right, each carrying a round shield and a long spear, moving up a steep diagonal bank of wind-bent dry grass and seed heads. Between them, at the crest, a taller pale figure in a patterned flowing robe stands frontally with arms spread wide, as if fixed to the ground, against open blue sky.

Ochre, umber and pale gold dominate the earth against the cool blue backdrop, brushwork thickly built with scored, linear texture describing the bending stalks. The dark contour drawing and converging diagonals of the two figures create a tense, dramatic momentum toward the still central form.