A quiet moment of introspection unfolds in Man at a Desk, painted by Gerard Sekoto during his time in Eastwood, Pretoria, where he lived with his family before his self-exile to Paris. This intimate scene, set in a modest interior, exemplifies Sekoto’s commitment to social realism and his exploration of the human spirit during a period of profound societal change.

The subdued palette and humble setting evoke resilience and dignity, while the composition recalls Vincent van Gogh’s The Bedroom (1888), a likely influence from Sekoto’s early teaching years. Created just a few years before apartheid-era forced removals displaced Eastwood’s community, this work stands as both a deeply personal depiction and a poignant record of a lost way of life.