Escaped 1895

Editor: Watts’s “Escaped” presents two children reaching for a bird, painted in oil on canvas. The textures seem very lush. What’s your take on this piece? Curator: The materiality of the paint is central. Watts's thick impasto builds up the forms, almost obscuring them. Think of the labor involved in creating these textures. How does that labor connect with the ideas of freedom and captivity presented here? Editor: That’s a great point! It makes me think about the bird as a symbol of freedom versus the children trapped in their situation. Curator: Indeed! And consider the cage. Is it mass produced or hand-made? That detail could reveal much about the social and economic context Watts is exploring. Editor: I never thought about that! Thanks for the different perspective. Curator: It’s about considering the processes of making at every level, from the paint to the objects depicted.