Don Juan c. 1911

Curator: This painting by Charles Ricketts, called "Don Juan," currently resides in the Tate Collection. It's quite a dramatic scene, wouldn't you agree? Editor: Absolutely. The mood is heavy, almost theatrical, with that dramatic lighting and the fallen figure on the bed. Curator: Indeed. Ricketts, a significant figure in the Aesthetic movement, uses the Don Juan story as a vehicle to explore themes of morality, death, and the consequences of a life lived without restraint. The statue emerging from the curtain seems to signify retribution. Editor: It's fascinating how Ricketts uses the visual language of theatre – the draped curtain, the stage-like setting – to comment on the performance of masculinity and power in late Victorian society. I see this painting as less about a specific story and more about the politics of representation on the stage and in art. Curator: Interesting. For me, the repeating symbolism throughout the piece—the overturned chalice, the blood spatter—emphasizes the spiritual emptiness at the heart of Don Juan's libertine existence. Ricketts is suggesting a profound critique of hedonism. Editor: Perhaps. But I see a broader social commentary, a critique of the performance of power and the theatricality inherent in the social structures of the time. Regardless, it's an evocative piece. Curator: A powerful commentary for sure.