The Miller’s Tale I 1972

Curator: Dame Elisabeth Frink's "The Miller's Tale I" is a striking image. It's part of a series inspired by Chaucer, though undated. Editor: My first thought is how the stark white figures pop against the muted grays; it's like a dream unfolding. Curator: Absolutely, Frink uses the printmaking process to highlight the tale's raw tension, the unexpectedness of the encounter. There's a voyeuristic aspect, the woman at the window, the man seemingly caught in the act. Editor: The lack of detail is interesting—are we meant to project our own anxieties and interpretations onto these figures? Curator: Perhaps. Frink often explored themes of vulnerability and power dynamics within society. These tales served as rich allegories for her observations. Editor: It certainly stays with you, makes you question what you think you see. Curator: And that's what Frink intended, I suspect: a mirror reflecting our own moral complexities.