Yesterday, my twelve year old brother mentioned a “famous painting” he once saw. On it, there’s a person (probably a man) dressed in black or something like that, with his back turned to the viewer, and a long, seemingly endless road stretching out before him. The mood of the painting, from what I’ve heard, is quite desolate and pretty scary.
Here’s a drawing my brother did to explain the painting. It seems familiar to me, but I really can’t seem to place it. Anyone has any ideas?
Have you searched the Rene’ Magritte sites?
It brings Magritte to mind, for some reason.
Hmm… or something by Munch perhaps?
My brother is reasonably familiar with both Magritte and Munch, and I think he would have been able to specify the style of the painting if he recognized it. Still, I’m not ruling out either of them.
Back-turned figures in front of a landscape always call to mind Caspar David Friedrich. But by the looks of the road in the drawing, I take it that it’s a modern-looking road (paved).
So, can we narrow it down to a 20th century painting in a fairly realist (maybe surrealist) style? And that it’s not Magritte or Munch?
And your brother is already familiar with Magritte and Munch at the age of 12? Is he just really into art, or is this a sign of how good the Belgian education system is (or both)?
Maybe de Chirico? My first thought at the verbal description was Friedrich, but after looking at his sketch I’m headed towards de Chirico or Munch or something along those lines.
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Originally posted by Skopo
And your brother is already familiar with Magritte and Munch at the age of 12? Is he just really into art, or is this a sign of how good the Belgian education system is (or both)?
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Hehe. That would be both. 
Well, my brother just seems awfully well-versed on a number of subjects. Runs in the family. 
Capybara: I hadn’t thought of de Chirico yet. Seems logical.
However, my brother did say the style was more or less realistic (definitely more Magritte-like than Munch-like), although the person in the foreground was little more than a black spot.
A large black spot, that is.
If the figure’s a small black spot, then it does sound like de Chirico–particulary with the sharp perspective of the road. However, it should also feature some long shadows and bits of antique sculpture (and maybe a banana or two) scattered around.
But the figure in the drawing seems quite large, as though it takes up most of the foreground. That doesn’t sound as much like de Chirico, unless it’s one of his mannequin paintings.
I’m inclined to think it’s something vaguely surrealist, anyway–in the de Chirico-Magritte vein of surrealism, that is. But it bugs me that I can’t pinpoint it.
Well, it bugs me too, Skopo. My brother says he saw it on TV a few weeks ago, but of course, that’s not a lot of help, either.
The description in the OP made me think first of Magritte until I heard that wasn’t right.
Any chance it could be the logo from a film company? Can’t place which one of the hundreds it might be, but there’s one that has the same type image as you’ve described.
If it’s a film (or television production) company I can picture that logo - the background is pretty much all royal blue and I think the guy’s wearing a hat w/a brim & holding a walking stick IIRC.
I also wanted to send these
to all of you for making my day - I never run into people who know anything about art & you immediately named all the artists who came to my mind.
My brother says it’s not a logo, but an actual painting.
Furthermore, he thinks it’s a black and white painting. It just gets weirder and weirder.
Could it be Carel Willink? This is a Dutch painter who specialized in paintings of lonely people in desolate cities and landscapes below a clouded sky. IIRC some of his paintings may have something like what your brother is looking for, especially a slightly scary or gloomy impression.
On seeing your new post: Willink mostly paints in color (predominantly blue, grey, green, black). Well, it was a long shot anyway.