Ben Uri company logo
Ben Uri
Skip to main content
  • Menu
  • Homepage
  • About Ben Uri
  • What's on
  • Visit Us
  • Exhibitions
  • Collections
  • Research Unit - resources
  • BU TV
  • Podcasts
  • Shop
  • Kids Programme
  • Arts and Mental Health
  • Support Us
  • Contact Us
  • Charity art and book sale
Facebook, opens in a new tab.
Youtube, opens in a new tab.
Instagram, opens in a new tab.
Twitter-x, opens in a new tab.
LinkedIn, opens in a new tab.
Send an email
Cart
0 items £
Checkout

Item added to cart

View cart & checkout
Continue shopping
Facebook, opens in a new tab.
Youtube, opens in a new tab.
Instagram, opens in a new tab.
Twitter-x, opens in a new tab.
LinkedIn, opens in a new tab.
Send an email
Menu
Portraits - Expressionist and Surreal
Becoming Gustav Metzger: Uncovering The Early Years, 1945-59

Portraits - Expressionist and Surreal: Becoming Gustav Metzger: Uncovering The Early Years, 1945-59

Forthcoming exhibition
  • Overview
  • Works
  • Expressionist Portraits: Highlights from the expressionist portrait series include Head (1948) and Antwerp Model (1949), executed while Metzger was studying at the Kunstakademie under Belgian graphic artist and figurative painter, Gustav de Bruyne. The la
  • Head, 1948, oil on canvas, 51.5 x 47.3cm. The Gustav Metzger Foundation

    Head, 1948

    Oil on canvas

    51.5 x 47.3cm

    The Gustav Metzger Foundation

     

  • Head of E. Royalton-Kisch, 1950, oil on canvas, 69.4 x 62.2cm. The Gustav Metzger Foundation

    Head of E. Royalton-Kisch, 1950

    Oil on canvas

    69.4 x 62.2cm

    The Gustav Metzger Foundation

     

  • Head of a Man, c. 1951-53, oil on board, 50.7 x 41.5cm. The Gustav Metzger Foundation

    Head of a Man, c. 1951-53

    Oil on board

    50.7 x 41.5cm

    The Gustav Metzger Foundation

     

  • Head of a Man, c.1951-53, oil on board, 50.6 x 40cm. The Gustav Metzger Foundation

    Head of a Man, c.1951-53

    Oil on board

    50.6 x 40cm

    The Gustav Metzger Foundation

     

  • Head of a Man, c. 1951-53, oil on board, c.50 x 40cm. The Gustav Metzger Foundation

    Head of a Man, c. 1951-53

    Oil on board

    c.50 x 40cm

    The Gustav Metzger Foundation 

     

  • Head, c. 1950-53, oil on board, 26 x 17cm. The Gustav Metzger Foundation

    Head c. 1950-53

    Oil on board

    26 x 17cm

    The Gustav Metzger Foundation

     

  • Portrait, c. 1949-1950, oil on board, 84.5 x 56.4cm. The Gustav Metzger Foundation

    Portrait, c. 1949-1950

    Oil on board

    84.5 x 56.4cm

    The Gustav Metzger Foundation

     

  • Head of a Man, c. 1952, chalk on paper, 86 x 64cm. The Gustav Metzger Foundation

    Head of a Man, c. 1952

    Chalk on paper

    86 x 64cm

    The Gustav Metzger Foundation

     

  • Reclining Nude, c.1951-53, oil on board, 114 x 81cm. The Gustav Metzger Foundation

    Reclining Nude, c.1951-53

    Oil on board

    114 x 81cm

    The Gustav Metzger Foundation

     

  • Standing Figure, c. 1951-53, oil on board, 81 x 114cm (verso of Reclining Nude). The Gustav Metzger Foundation

    Standing Figure, c. 1951-53

    Oil on board

    81 x 114cm (verso of Reclining Nude)

    The Gustav Metzger Foundation

     

  • Head of Cliff Holden, 1946, oil on board,123 x 90 cm. The Gustav Metzger Foundation

    Head of Cliff Holden, 1946

    Oil on board

    123 x 90 cm

    The Gustav Metzger Foundation

     

  • Antwerp model, 1949 Oil on canvas 92 x 70.5cm The Gustav Metzger Foundation

    Antwerp model, 1949

    Oil on canvas

    92 x 70.5cm

    The Gustav Metzger Foundation

     

  • Surreal Portraits: Metzger spoke of a ‘surrealist phase’- ‘I did a series of paintings which were completely different to what I was doing with Bomberg’. Works were made using home ground paint on boards which Metzger was able to ‘pick up…for nothing or n
  • Untitled, c. 1945-47, oil on board, 102 x 76cm. The Gustav Metzger Foundation

    Untitled, c. 1945-47

    Oil on board

    102 x 76cm

    The Gustav Metzger Foundation

     

  • Untitled, c.1945-47, oil on board, 121 x 47cm. The Gustav Metzger Foundation

    Untitled, c.1945-47

    Oil on board

    121 x 47cm

    The Gustav Metzger Foundation

     

  • Seated Woman, c. 1945-47, oil on board, 91 x 43cm. The Gustav Metzger Foundation

    Seated Woman, c. 1945-47

    Oil on board

    91 x 43cm

    The Gustav Metzger Foundation

     

  • Untitled, c. 1945-47, oil on board, 62 x 47cm. The Gustav Metzger Foundation.

    Untitled, c. 1945-47

    Oil on board

    62 x 47cm

    The Gustav Metzger Foundation.

     

  • Self-Portrait, An Undefiled, 1946, oil on canvas, 91 x 56cm. The Gustav Metzger Foundation

    Self-Portrait, An Undefiled, 1946

    Oil on canvas

    91 x 56cm

    The Gustav Metzger Foundation

     

  • Thematic works: Dissolution of the City (1946) depicts the ‘struggle between East and West London’ (between poverty and capital) which Metzger felt was ‘influenced by futurism’. A painting on a similar scale completed later the same year entitled Eroica,
  • Eroica, Funeral March, oil on board, 1946, 92 x 151cm. The Gustav Metzger Foundation

    Eroica, Funeral March, 1946

    Oil on board

    92 x 151cm

    The Gustav Metzger Foundation

     

  • Dissolution of the City, 1946, oil on board, 92 x 152cm. The Gustav Metzger Foundation

    Dissolution of the City, 1946

    Oil on board

    92 x 152cm

    The Gustav Metzger Foundation

     

  • Trees, 1945, oil on canvas, 56 x 91cm (verso of Self-Portrait). The Gustav Metzger Foundation

    Trees, 1945

    Oil on canvas

    56 x 91cm (verso of Self-Portrait)

    The Gustav Metzger Foundation

     

  • Homage to the Starving Poet, 1951, oil on canvas, 80 x 70cm. The Gustav Metzger Foundation

    Homage to the Starving Poet, 1951

    Oil on canvas

    80 x 70cm

    The Gustav Metzger Foundation

     

  • Homage to the Starving Poet (Study), 1951, oil on canvas, 63 x 54.5cm. The Gustav Metzger Foundation

    Homage to the Starving Poet (Study), 1951

    Oil on canvas

    63 x 54.5cm

    The Gustav Metzger Foundation

     

  • Girl at Hunstanton, 1957 (later titled Girl at Bus Window: Autumn 1956), oil on canvas, 127 x 85 cm. The Gustav Metzger Foundation

    Girl at Hunstanton, 1957 (later titled Girl at Bus Window: Autumn 1956)

    Oil on canvas

    127 x 85 cm

    The Gustav Metzger Foundation

     

Back to exhibition Overview
Back to exhibitions

Be the first to know – Sign Up

Sign up

* denotes required fields

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. If you are not happy with this, you can opt-out below. 

 

Read More

VISIT US

108a Boundary Road, St John’s Wood, London, NW8 0RH

Now open Wednesday to Friday 10 am - 5.30 pm

Please check the dates on What's on.

admin@benuri.org

 

 

Homepage

What’s On

About

Contact

Support

Exhibitions

Collections

Research Unit

Essays / Catalogues

Loans 

BU TV

Podcasts

Health

Kids

Press

Facebook, opens in a new tab.
Instagram, opens in a new tab.
Twitter-x, opens in a new tab.
Youtube, opens in a new tab.
Pinterest, opens in a new tab.
LinkedIn, opens in a new tab.
Vimeo, opens in a new tab.
Artsy, opens in a new tab.
Send an email
Privacy Policy
Accessibility Policy
Manage cookies
Copyright © 2025 Ben Uri
Site by Artlogic

We use cookies to make our website work more efficiently, to provide you with more personalised services or advertising, and to analyse traffic on our website. For more information please read our cookies policy. If you don't agree to the use of our cookies, the quality of your experience of our website may be lessened.

Manage cookies
Accept

Cookie preferences

Check the boxes for the cookie categories you allow our site to use

Cookie options
Required for the website to function and cannot be disabled.
Improve your experience on the website by storing choices you make about how it should function.
Allow us to collect anonymous usage data in order to improve the experience on our website.
Allow us to identify our visitors so that we can offer personalised, targeted marketing.
Save preferences
Close

Be the first to know – Sign Up

Subscribe to our newsletter and be the first to know about everything new at Ben Uri, including the constantly evolving and expansive online content across our exhibitions, collection and research.

 

We value and respect your privacy. Your personal data will be kept private and processed securely, according to our Privacy Policy. If you change your mind anytime, you can unsubscribe directly when receiving a mail from us (the link will be at the bottom of the email) or contact us.

Sign up

* denotes required fields

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. If you are not happy with this, you can opt-out below. 

 

Read More


EnglishFrenchGermanItalianPortugueseRussianSpanish