The Corpse that Came Calling 1964

Robert McGinnis painted ‘The Corpse that Came Calling’ with oils, and you can see the process right there on the canvas! Look at those dark greens and blacks, applied in strokes that are almost liquid, setting the mood for some mystery, maybe even a bit of mischief. I can almost feel McGinnis there, brush in hand, carefully shaping the woman’s figure against the backdrop of that intricate, gold-gilded gate. It’s like he’s building her right out of the paint. I wonder what he was thinking about as he made the black dress cling so perfectly to her figure, a real moment of tension, or suspense. The surface has this amazing texture – thick in some places, like around the gate where the gold catches the light. Then thin, almost translucent, where the light touches her skin. It's like a conversation between the artist and the painting, each stroke answering the one before. He uses form to ask questions, and the viewer is left to answer.