Portrait of a Jamaican Woman 1937

Editor: We're looking at Augustus John’s "Portrait of a Jamaican Woman" from 1937, an oil painting with some pretty gestural brushstrokes. I'm struck by her calm expression. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Calm, yes, but also regal, don’t you think? I find it almost dreamlike. John's paintings have this unfinished quality, which allows the subject's personality to seep through. There's a directness in her gaze, a vulnerability perhaps, amplified by those loose, evocative strokes. It feels deeply intimate, capturing not just a likeness but a mood. The brown color on the canvas adds a sense of melancholy. Do you see that? Editor: I do see the melancholy! It almost feels like she’s wrapped in her own thoughts. Do you think John was trying to convey a specific message about Jamaican identity at the time? Curator: That's a compelling question! John wasn't necessarily trying to make a grand political statement. More likely, he was captivated by the sitter's beauty and strength. His work was less about academic correctness and more about visceral, emotive responses. But perhaps the very act of painting her portrait, of giving her a prominent space on canvas, implicitly countered the dominant colonial narrative, wouldn't you say? Editor: Absolutely. Seeing her centered and self-possessed does challenge any preconceived notions. Curator: It reminds us that portraiture isn’t just about surface-level depiction. It’s about encountering another human soul. And that's something John understood deeply. Editor: It makes you wonder about the stories behind those eyes, doesn’t it? Thanks for sharing your perspective. It gives me a new appreciation for John’s sensitivity.