The Divine Playmate 1910

Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale made this image – I'm not sure when, or using what, but it's got a sweet innocence, a lightness in its touch. The color palette is soft, pastel-like, which gives it a storybook feel. What I love is how the paint seems applied in thin washes, allowing the texture of the paper to peek through, adding a sense of fragility to the scene. Look closely at the brickwork of the castle in the background; it’s as if she’s suggesting form rather than describing it, and that is really something! The folds in the angel’s white robe are beautifully rendered with delicate strokes, which capture the play of light and shadow. It’s like she's figuring it out as she goes along. Fortescue-Brickdale's work reminds me a bit of some Pre-Raphaelite painters, like Burne-Jones, in its romantic and idealized imagery, but she brings a unique sense of playfulness to her art. I find her approach freeing, and think about art as a conversation across time. The beauty of art lies in its openness to multiple interpretations, which is wonderful to think about.