The second world war was over and Stanley Hayter and his wife Helen Phillips and their two young boys moved back to Paris. The last few years had gone well enough for the Hayters to purchase a charming stone structure in the medieval town of Alba-la-Romaine. Here the family would spend summers fishing, hiking, cooking with plenty of uninterrupted studio time. Hayter was deeply connected to the landscape of the Ardèche region and would spend days fishing in the Escoutay river. This colorful drawing dated August 23rd, 1952 shows Hayter studying an abstract figure from various angles. The influence of nature and a post-war enthusiasm is evident in much of his work from this period.
