Drawing for Right Panel of ‘Resurrection: Reunion’ 1944

Editor: This drawing by Sir Stanley Spencer, a preparatory sketch for the 'Resurrection: Reunion' triptych, shows figures emerging from what looks like heavy earth. The pencil marks are quite visible; what do you make of Spencer's process here? Curator: The grid under-drawing is critical. It speaks to the industrialized means of image production, that challenges the idea of singular artistic genius. How does that repetitive labor, both Spencer’s and the printer's, impact the reading of ‘resurrection’ here? Editor: So, thinking about the labor involved changes how we understand the imagery itself? Curator: Precisely. The very material act of creation, with its inherent social context, infuses the spiritual theme. It is not divine intervention, but human effort that defines this resurrection. What does that imply? Editor: I never thought about the materials telling the story in that way! Curator: Indeed, analyzing the production unveils layers of meaning often missed.