The Ass c. 1913

Curator: Duncan Grant, a key figure in the Bloomsbury Group, painted this artwork, titled "The Ass," some time during his prolific career. Editor: Oh, it's got this wonderful, almost dreamlike quality...like a memory fading around the edges. The colors feel earthy, grounded. Curator: Grant’s exploration of form and color here can be seen as a response to early modernist movements, challenging traditional notions of representation in the interwar period. The depiction could also relate to class and labor. Editor: I like that. It makes me think of a working animal, yes, but also this sense of dignity, standing amidst abstract, slightly ominous shapes. Almost defiant, really. Curator: I agree, and interpreting the animal figure in relation to emerging sociopolitical tensions seems apt. It certainly invites us to consider themes of identity and resilience. Editor: Absolutely. It's strange, even humorous, and yet profoundly moving. I think I'll carry the image of this defiant donkey with me for some time.