The girl on the bus — Charcoal on Paper by Arnaud Quercy

About This Artwork

This charcoal drawing explores the intersection of urban observation and geometric abstraction within the City of Lights, Shadows of Thoughts collection. Quercy transforms a fleeting moment of public transit into an abstract portrait that captures both the physical presence and psychological state of anonymous city life.

The composition organizes dark charcoal tones into angular, geometric forms that suggest facial features and architectural elements. Light areas emerge through selective erasure and paper texture, creating contrast against the dominant dark passages. The vertical format emphasizes the upward movement of forms, while curved lines provide counterpoint to the angular geometry. Charcoal application varies from deep blacks to subtle grays, building dimensional relationships across the paper surface.

Created on paper measuring 21.0 × 29.5 cm, this contemporary work bears the artist's signature on the front and carries certificate of authenticity number 20231231-0005. The drawing represents Quercy's approach to capturing Parisian street life through abstracted portraiture, where individual identity dissolves into universal urban experience.