Bather (Psychotic Boy) 

In R. B. Kitaj's "Bather (Psychotic Boy)," we see a lone figure on a beach, rendered with an unsettling intensity. The bather’s pose—one leg lifted, arms outstretched—echoes the ancient gesture of ecstatic dance. We might see a reflection of antique depictions of maenads, women transported into divine madness by Dionysus; or perhaps it is a melancholic figure reminiscent of those found in Romantic paintings of a lone wanderer at sea. The red tint of the boy’s arm and the overall disquieting rendering suggests an inner turmoil. Such gestures, imbued with raw emotion, possess a power that engages viewers on a deep, subconscious level. The gesture resurfaces, evolves, and takes on new meanings in different historical contexts. Kitaj taps into this, reminding us of the emotional depth within these symbols.