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Le Beau Mec

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Contributor
Williams, Tennessee, 1911-1983
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Rhodes College Collection of Art
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Thumbnail Image
20240422_tennessee_williams_04_front.jpg
JPEG, 5.17 MB
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20240422_tennessee_williams_04_verso.jpg
JPEG, 4.29 MB
URI
https://hdl.handle.net/10267/36586
Abstract
This painting, created by Tennessee Williams in 1980 using acrylic and pencil, features a nude, blond-haired, blue-eyed boy seated at the center of the composition in profile, his head turned toward the viewer, capturing a moment of introspection. Surrounding the figure, vibrant yellow, blue, and pink brushstrokes within the frame of a white square create a sense of movement and vibrancy, while a thick black border frames the entire scene, intensifying the contrast between figure and space. Along the right side of the composition, the "Le Beau Mec" (The Handsome Guy) is painted in orange, adding a playful yet mysterious air to the portrait. Signed"T.W." in the top right corner, the back of the painting includes a note reading"Tennessee Williams / 'Le Beau Mec' / (acrylic) / 1980." Additionally, a paper tag attached to the hanging wire reads"TL4.1994.1 / Kenneth Holditch,"
Description
This artwork was photographed and cataloged by Echo O'Connor (class of 2025) during the fall of 2024. This painting was acquired by Rhodes College from Kenneth Holditch (1933-2022) during the summer of 2024. Holditch graduated from Southwestern at Memphis with the class of 1955, and worked as a Tennessee Williams scholar in his role on the faculty at the University of New Orleans.