Two Women in Interior n.d.

Curator: So, here we have "Two Women in Interior," a pen and ink drawing, the artist is George Romney. It's currently held at The Art Institute of Chicago. Editor: The energy in this drawing is incredible. It’s raw, immediate. It almost feels like a fleeting moment captured on paper. Look at how spare and energetic the linework is. It's practically vibrating. Curator: It’s intriguing how the figures seem both intimate and somewhat distant. We know from similar sketches, that during this period of Romney's career, the 1760s to the 1790s, he was often trying out different compositions for his larger paintings and this may be the case here. Does the symbolism speak to you? Do you have a sense of their relationship? Editor: Symbolism wise, the heavy linework surrounding the women almost creates a sense of them being burdened, though I am unsure by what. What captivates me most is how much emotion Romney conveys with so few lines. It’s economical but intensely evocative. One woman sits with her head tilted upwards, while the other seems to be performing a mundane domestic activity; I get the impression that they are close friends, possibly in disagreement over something. Curator: And do you think the interior has a message? The strong vertical lines create an interesting pattern around the subjects in a fairly confined space. Do they relate to a wider symbol? Or create one of their own? Editor: Absolutely, there’s a visual push and pull at play. It’s as if the background is an energetic counterpoint to the intimacy between the figures, almost creating a push and pull dynamic that they both navigate in unison. Curator: Well, it certainly gives us something to consider further! Editor: Definitely food for thought and a visually captivating example of line work.