Two Figures, Study for ‘The Excursion of Nausicaa’ c. 1919

Editor: This is ‘Two Figures, Study for “The Excursion of Nausicaa”’ by Dame Ethel Walker. The sketch feels so classical, almost like a Grecian frieze. What's striking to you about the figures' portrayal? Curator: It's fascinating to consider how Walker, as a woman artist in the early 20th century, engaged with classical themes. Notice the subtle subversion – the active, almost defiant poses. How does this contrast with the traditionally passive, objectified female figures often depicted in classical art, and how does it empower female figures? Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way. It's like she's reclaiming the narrative. Curator: Exactly!