King of the Morning

The work depicts a powerful cockerel, rendered in broad, spontaneous brushstrokes of intense red, coral and warm orange. Its characteristic posture is instantly recognisable: chest thrust forward, head held high and an imposing tail fanning out to the left. Despite its simple forms, the animal possesses a distinct personality and an almost monumental presence.
The cockerel appears not so much to have been painted with precision as to have emerged from the paint itself. Rough patches of colour blend into one another, edges are deliberately left unfinished, and parts of the body dissolve into the background. The transition from the dark red breast to the lighter legs is particularly striking. A single thin, dark line along the lower leg forms a small but essential detail that lends the heavy upper body an unexpected lightness.
Behind the head lies a large coral-red area that functions almost like a graphic halo. Together with the cream background and scattered traces of paint, this gives the work a contemporary, almost poster-like quality.
The warm colours reinforce the symbolism of the cockerel: pride, energy, vigilance and a new beginning. The result is an expressive animal portrait that feels both rustic and modern — bold enough to make a statement, yet playful and accessible thanks to the loose painting style.