Leon Kossoff’s work is characterised by his use of thick layers of paint – a technique known as impasto. Among his favourite themes, we find drawings of the everyday and the urban landscapes of London, the city where he was born and lived for most of his life, as well as portraits of friends and family, including his wife. Kossoff’s portraits are deeply charged with emotion, as can be seen in the work Head of Seedo IV, which provides a clear summary of his work process: the artist always began by making a preparatory charcoal drawing, through which he explored the theme he wanted to develop, rubbing out and starting again several times until he achieved the desired result. The work Head of Seedo IV was produced in Bethnal Green, where the artist lived between 1953 and 1961.