Sarabande (Portrait of Adrian Segal?) 1943

Stella Drabkin made this compelling image, ‘Sarabande (Portrait of Adrian Segal?)’, in 1943, but with what, we can only guess. Maybe a printmaking process? There’s something so wonderfully awkward and stiff about the figure, and yet the whole image sings. The figure and cello feel bound, fused into a whole, an embrace. The textures and lines give the image a unique visual depth. It’s not just about the surface; it's about the layers underneath, like the process of learning to play an instrument. The cello, with its reddish-brown hue, grounds the composition, while the greens and purples in the background create a mood of quiet intensity. The diagonal score gives a sense of movement and suggests the passage of time. There’s a real sense of intimacy and care in this image. I'm reminded of Milton Avery’s colour sense, but Drabkin seems to push things further into her own territory. It's a reminder that art isn't about perfection but about expressing something deeply felt and experienced.