Maya, Mirror of Illusions 1910

Curator: This is Arthur Bowen Davies’s 1910 painting, “Maya, Mirror of Illusions," crafted using oil paints. What’s your first impression? Editor: The muted palette, the repeating figures... it evokes a sense of dreamlike timelessness. A bit melancholic, perhaps? Curator: Interesting. Consider the composition; Davies arranges these nude figures against a simplified landscape backdrop, focusing attention on their forms. Their rhythmic arrangement guides the eye. Editor: Indeed, the landscape seems secondary. More like a backdrop for some kind of ritual, don't you think? What I find curious is how the oil paint handling gives them an almost marble-like appearance, yet they are undeniably fleshy, vulnerable. It brings up this push-and-pull between the ideal and the real in terms of making these nude forms. Curator: Absolutely. The choice of oil paint as the medium allows Davies to model form with subtle gradations, softening contours and adding to that ethereal quality. Also, consider the symbolism inherent in the mirror motif itself. Editor: The reflection? It seems almost obscured, furthering the feeling of illusive reality. The choice to have them nude, not fully grounded in reality but in line within symbolic art movements does beg the question what this act of reflection implies about identity, perception... Or perhaps just his exploration of light, texture, and pigment blending during its production? It feels rich. Curator: Precisely. And to close our look, Davies seems more engaged in crafting visual poetry using light and forms that elicit an emotional or intellectual response over literal depiction. Editor: A compelling synthesis. Seeing how material choices and societal depictions collide makes me consider how such choices shaped and continue to shape our interpretations of this period’s work.