The Family 1971

Editor: This is William Roberts' drawing, "The Family," from 1974, located in the Tate. It's a colored pencil drawing of a family of four, and I’m struck by the figures’ large, almost monumental quality. How do you interpret this work? Curator: I see this family group as a commentary on the nuclear family unit within postwar British society. Roberts, influenced by Cubism, simplifies the figures, yet their bare feet and direct gaze hint at a raw, unvarnished reality. Where do you think Roberts situates this family within the social landscape? Editor: Perhaps he's highlighting their connection to the earth, grounding them in a specific socio-economic context? The lack of shoes could be symbolic. Curator: Precisely. And considering Roberts' involvement as a war artist, this image could also be seen as a reconstruction of the family unit after the World Wars. It definitely offers a fascinating insight into class, labor, and the domestic sphere. Editor: That definitely gives me something to think about!