Sketch for the painting ‘Saint George piercing a dragon’ 1909

Editor: Here we have Tadeusz Makowski’s 1909 oil painting, “Sketch for the painting ‘Saint George piercing a dragon.’” It’s, shall we say, a vigorously rendered scene! The impasto is pretty intense, and the colors are wonderfully muddied and intense. It feels chaotic but also has a sort of hidden structure... What strikes you about this piece? Curator: Chaotic is a kind word, isn't it? For me, this isn’t about neat, pre-packaged narratives. I feel like I’ve stumbled into Makowski's mind as he’s wrestling with the legend itself. The thick paint, almost sculpted onto the canvas, it's like a tangible expression of that internal struggle, almost physical. Does it strike you as a "finished" thought, or more like the birth of one? Editor: More the birth, definitely. The dragon, particularly. Is it me, or is the dragon more of a… lobster? Curator: Ah, that’s the joy of a sketch, isn’t it? The lobster-dragon! Maybe that’s Makowski’s subtle nod to the absurd. After all, slaying a dragon is a bit of a fairytale, isn’t it? I can see him, grinning, paintbrush in hand, thinking "let's make this beast a little ridiculous". Editor: That's so interesting! The looseness allows for, dare I say, more interpretations. Maybe Saint George is wrestling with something smaller and weirder than we traditionally think. Curator: Precisely! Perhaps it's about the daily dragons we all face. The frustratingly crustacean challenges life throws our way. The vibrant yet unsettling colors hint at that ongoing struggle. Makowski’s suggesting heroism isn't about perfection or pristine ideals, but the messy, imperfect battle itself. Editor: That definitely shifts my perspective. I was so focused on the "sketchiness," but now I see how that raw quality is really the point. Curator: And isn’t that the best kind of art? The kind that smudges your preconceived notions.