A Finished Story 1924

Dean Cornwell made “A Finished Story” with oil paint, and what I love is how he leaves so much of the story unfinished. The forms are solid but not overworked, like he built them up quickly with confident strokes. Look at the rocks, some are almost abstract daubs of grey, purple and cream, but they sit perfectly in the landscape. The mother and child in the foreground are more defined, but their placement is still gestural and not labored. Cornwell is playing with how much information is enough. I am reminded of Manet and some of the other impressionists, who also knew when to leave a painting alone. And the fact that it’s an illustration makes me think about the conversations between “high” and “low” art, which is another story that’s never really finished.