Via Dei Malcontenti 2006

Bo Bartlett made this painting, Via Dei Malcontenti, and you can see how he has created it with careful brushwork and a muted palette, where browns and soft greys dominate. I wonder what it was like to stand where he stood, looking at the light as it hit the buildings and the road. There's such a melancholic mood that's created by the limited palette, and the man walking away from us. I wonder if Bartlett felt a sense of loss or longing as he painted this scene, maybe the way those tones almost blend together was a way of unifying the world. It's almost like he is thinking about the weight of protecting someone you love. Painting is a conversation across time, each artist responding to what has come before, adding their own voice to the mix. There's no single way to interpret this work, and that's what makes it so exciting to look at. We are free to bring our own associations and feelings.