David in the Doorway 1960

John Bratby made 'David in the Doorway' with paint, I’m guessing oil, and what strikes me is how he revels in the stuff. It’s not just about depicting a scene, it's about the joy of smearing paint around. Look at how thick it is on that doorframe, almost sculptural! You can practically feel the texture. And the color, it's not just white, but a whole world of whites, creams, and grays, all mixed together, loaded on the brush and then dragged, dabbed and scrubbed across the surface. The eye is drawn through the doorway, but constantly pulled back, into the here and now of the painting itself. That little figure, David, is like a ghost, barely there, but the door feels so solid, so present. It makes me think of Auerbach, who was also exploring the possibilities of thick paint around the same time. Ultimately, I think Bratby, like all great painters, invites us to slow down, to really see, and to find beauty in the messiness of the world.