The seated figure has been an re-occurring theme in Roy’s work since his student days.

During the 1980s the theme of an unshaded light bulb with its thrown shadow became an important addition to both the seated and standing figure.

Unusually, this is a preparatory sketch with the clear intention to mark an outline shape for a future clay relief. It is not the unshaded bulb but the thrown shadow that becomes an important feature of the final reliefs of standing figures.

It is not the unshaded bulb but the thrown shadow that becomes an important feature of all the final reliefs of standing figures.

These reliefs were the last works Roy made and could be viewed as ‘painting with clay’.

The figures emerge from their surroundings and are initially joined by a shadow which starts as a separate entity, then as the series progresses becomes attached to the figure. The unshaded light bulb, possibly viewed as a metaphor for hope and inspiration and the shadow as in Munch’s painting ‘Puberty’ a metaphor of impending sorrow.

In the 1980s and 1990s Roy worked on series of drawings and relief sculpture. Also, he recast previous work in wax. attracted by the quality of light on the wax surface.

Themes such as Debra reading, Figure swimming in a pool,  Figure moving, Figure with a shadow were the focus of his sculpture.