Drawing for ‘Woman Ill in Bed Surrounded by Family (Rosalind)’ 1965

Curator: This is Leon Kossoff's drawing for 'Woman Ill in Bed Surrounded by Family (Rosalind)’, currently residing here at the Tate. Editor: Goodness, it's a raw tangle of emotion, isn’t it? The charcoal practically vibrates with worry. I feel almost voyeuristic looking at such an intimate scene of illness. Curator: The image is wrought with the symbolism of illness. The darkness weighs down, reflecting the oppressive atmosphere. The swirling lines suggest a feverish interior world. Editor: It's interesting that the family isn’t really depicted. Just the suggestion of presence in those frantic marks. Maybe illness isolates us even when surrounded by loved ones? Curator: Perhaps Kossoff is interested in the psychological space of illness, the way it distorts perception and experience. Editor: It's a stark reminder of our own vulnerability, a memento mori of sorts, rendered with startling immediacy. Curator: Yes, it's a powerful exploration of vulnerability. Editor: A bracing, if unsettling, encounter.