Study for ‘Under Arches, Rue de Seine’: Figures c. 1950s

Curator: John Dodgson, born in 1890, created this drawing titled ‘Study for ‘Under Arches, Rue de Seine’: Figures’. Editor: It feels incomplete, yet compelling; the sketchiness gives it an intimate, almost voyeuristic quality. Curator: Indeed. Dodgson seems to be capturing a fleeting moment of Parisian life. The figures appear anonymous, archetypes perhaps, within the urban fabric. Editor: The subdued palette – browns, blues, grays – reinforces this sense of transience, as though the scene is fading into memory. The lines are simple, but the composition, with its suggestion of depth, is quite effective. Curator: Consider the role of the under-drawing. Dodgson is consciously making use of this to expose the inner workings of the piece, laying bare its artifice. Editor: It's fascinating how the rawness of the sketch actually amplifies the sense of a candid snapshot, a slice of Parisian life observed. It makes me consider the role of the artist, not just as creator, but also as witness. Curator: Precisely, and the political implications of such witness should not be discounted. Editor: It’s certainly a piece that invites multiple interpretations. Curator: A perfect summation.