Head of a Crying Child

The unbearable pain, or perhaps acute mental anguish, depicted in this study of a crying child is captured with maximum emotional intensity. Focusing upon the face and throat, Grünewald presents us with a spectacular view of a curly-haired child. Open-mouthed, the child violently throws back his head, exposing the profound darkness of his narrow, gaping mouth, half-rounded as he purses his lips. The row of teeth in the child’s upper jaw, including a number of gaps, are studied in extraordinary detail. It is also possible to discern the outline of the boy’s lips, as well as his tongue and gums.