Although the majority of Bevan's portraits are of single figures, he is particularly concerned with the relationship between figures and especially the confrontation between observer and observed. His sitters do possess 'a degree of awareness1:

'some of the subjects may well seem mindful of the audience. I think it's about presenting their vulnerability; the idea of not being ashamed... But I also think that there is a strong possibility that the figures are not sure how they are showing themselves. In the earlier works, the figures often hide their faces and are closed up.2
this portrait of the artist's father, the personality of the sitter does come across strongly and the man's gesture, with his hand up to his face, conveys a feeling of tiredness and also perhaps resignation.

1. Tony Bevan, interview with JH, February 1993
2. as above