Untitled 1970

This painting by Thomas Downing presents us with a series of arches rendered in shades of red and purple, delineated by sharp lines. The arch has long been a symbol of transition, a gateway between spaces, both literal and metaphorical. Think of the triumphal arches of Rome, erected to celebrate military victories and the passage of heroes, or the archways in Renaissance paintings, framing sacred scenes and inviting the viewer into a divine space. Here, the arches, though abstract, retain that symbolic power, suggesting a journey or progression. Downing strips the arch down to its essential form. What remains is the primal suggestion of passage, deeply embedded in our collective consciousness. These arches may echo a psychological landscape, a pathway through the inner self. The arch is not merely a shape, but a vessel of accumulated cultural memory.