The Family of Darius before Alexander (3) (from Veronese) 1990 - 1992

Curator: Leon Kossoff, born in 1926, made this work, "The Family of Darius before Alexander (3) (from Veronese)." It’s part of the Tate Collection. Editor: At first glance, it seems to convey turmoil, almost like a theater scene caught mid-explosion. The rapid lines add urgency and disorder. Curator: Yes, Kossoff reinterprets Veronese's scene, imbuing it with modern psychological tension. The original subject, a story of mistaken identity and forgiveness, is here rendered as raw emotion. Editor: The sketchy lines and almost claustrophobic composition create a sense of historical trauma, of revisiting power dynamics where identity and family are subjugated by imperial force. Curator: The visual language speaks of history's weight on the present, where these archetypes of power and submission are eternally replayed in our cultural consciousness. Editor: I think it reminds us that history isn’t just something that has happened, it continues to be actively remade. Curator: It makes you wonder about the enduring power of certain visual narratives to speak to our own time. Editor: Absolutely, this piece is not just looking back; it's challenging us to look forward and consider whose stories we’re continuing to tell.