Drawing for Left Panel of ‘Resurrection: Tidying’ 1944

Curator: This is a drawing by Sir Stanley Spencer, a preparatory sketch for the left panel of his painting "Resurrection: Tidying." Editor: It has a curious weightiness, doesn't it? Despite the loose lines, there's a palpable sense of mass in these figures. Curator: Spencer's focus was often on the everyday experiences of working-class people, and in "Resurrection: Tidying", he’s reinterpreting a biblical narrative through that lens. Editor: The composition is interesting; the arrangement of figures, the implied movement, lends a kind of structural harmony to the scene, even in its unfinished state. Curator: Absolutely, and considering that the painting was done after the first World War, we can see how this reinterpretation offered a message about the collective trauma and healing of a community. Editor: The hatching and cross-hatching are quite effective in creating tonal depth. It's impressive how he manages to suggest form with such economy. Curator: Understanding Spencer's background is essential when looking at his art. Editor: A powerful intersection of technique and meaning, then. Curator: Precisely.