Unquiet Heart, paperback cover 

Editor: Here we have what I believe is the cover art for the paperback edition of "Unquiet Heart" by Robert Maguire. The piece appears to be oil on canvas, and immediately evokes a mood of tension and suppressed desire through its dramatic composition. I am particularly struck by the contrast between the characters and the overall somber palette. How would you interpret this work focusing solely on the artistic and formal choices? Curator: Examining the artwork’s structural composition, we see a play of vertical and horizontal lines contributing to this sense of restraint. The man is framed vertically in the high-backed chair and contrasted with the sword and supine female figure. How does this rigid framing interact with the dramatic chiaroscuro? Notice the bright patch of blue beyond the window. Editor: I see what you mean. The restricted palette does emphasize this bright blue and directs our eye to that space just for a second, but it almost looks trapped there, because the painting as a whole traps the gaze. The color choices amplify the drama inherent in the composition of bodies and their positioning. There is also an interaction, no, almost a tension between textures with the hardness of the stonework compared to the soft fabrics and human flesh on display. Is the overall effect too forced and theatrical? Curator: One could argue the figures, framed thus, become a spectacle – objects for viewing. The arrangement lends itself to an almost sculptural presentation, wouldn't you agree? This structured, almost geometric approach is emphasized by the rigid, almost geometric arrangement of their forms against a solid and dark plane, almost flattening out and eliminating all possibility of life that does not exist in tension, desire, conflict, or frustration. That aperture does give it life, and prevents a complete implosion of meaning and expression. Editor: I see that this visual constraint helps define its overall symbolic mood as it highlights contrasts inherent in the composition itself. I definitely have a new perspective regarding the structure and forms and their interactions here. Thank you for pointing that out to me.