The Three Judges c. 1936

Curator: Georges Rouault's "The Three Judges," currently held at the Tate, presents a rather imposing presence, doesn't it? Editor: Absolutely! It's almost claustrophobic. That deep, dark background, those thick, heavy lines…it feels like staring into a moral abyss. Curator: Rouault, born in 1871, frequently depicted judges and legal figures, seeing them as symbols of societal corruption. He was quite critical of institutions. Editor: The faces are so grotesque, yet there's a raw humanity there too. Like looking at broken gargoyles, reflecting our own flawed justice system. Curator: Indeed, his use of color, those vibrant reds against the somber tones, amplifies the emotional intensity, doesn't it? Editor: It makes the piece almost scream. Knowing Rouault's critiques, it makes you ponder the weight of judgement, both human and divine. Curator: It's a powerful work, prompting us to question the nature of justice itself. Editor: Yes, and to consider how we might soften the edges of our own judgements, both on others and ourselves.