The Start of a Fairy Tale 1988

Eric Fischl made "The Start of a Fairy Tale" with oil paint, and what strikes me first is how he's pieced together the canvas, allowing the seams between them to form this open grid. It’s a move that reveals the process. There's this figure in the painting, almost nude, precariously balancing, and then a dog at the bottom, caught in some sort of awkward stretch. The paint itself is thin, watery even, allowing for these vertical drips. Look at how the light filters through the trees, creating these pools of golden colour. The brushwork is loose, almost gestural, and then the hard edge of the panel asserts itself. It reminds me a bit of Albert Pinkham Ryder’s landscapes - that same kind of dreamy, slightly unsettling vibe. Ultimately, like any good painting, "The Start of a Fairy Tale" offers more questions than answers, inviting us to bring our own stories to the table.