Peter, Anguillara 1967

Editor: This is Patrick Procktor’s "Peter, Anguillara," a watercolor drawing from 1967. The washes of grey and single splash of blue feel really modern. What strikes you most about the piece? Curator: I'm immediately drawn to the stark contrast in technique. The figure is rendered with loose, almost gestural strokes, yet there's a surprising precision in the depiction of the blue shorts. Do you perceive how that tension impacts your reading of the image? Editor: It kind of isolates the shorts. I initially saw the pose as relaxed, maybe even vulnerable. But the hyper-detailed rendering of the shorts almost objectifies that area of the body, shifting the tone a little bit? Curator: Precisely. Consider the composition further: the cropping of the figure. What effect does that truncated form have? The face seems incomplete, almost abstract. Editor: That gives it a real immediacy, doesn’t it? The watercolor isn't trying to hide that it’s a study; Procktor focuses on form rather than realistic representation, which makes the blue all the more intriguing as a block of color. Curator: The color is applied almost independently of the structure of the legs. Does the stark contrast between form and formlessness play into that idea of isolation? Editor: Yeah, like the color becomes almost sculptural. I didn't notice that at first. Thanks for helping me look closer. Curator: Indeed. By focusing intently on the construction and chromatic relationships within the artwork, we arrive at insights that exceed surface appearances.