Cedric Morris 

Editor: This is a portrait of "Cedric Morris" by Frances Hodgkins, rendered in oil paint, and there is such a peculiar air to it, wouldn't you say? The textures are chunky, and almost a bit dreamlike... What do you see in this piece? Curator: Oh, absolutely a dream. A strange sort of reverie! The parrot seems to be both there and not there. I wonder, is that bird a representation of Morris's flamboyant spirit, or something else entirely? And have you noticed how the face feels almost… carved? Editor: Carved! Yes, like an ancient bust, yet so fragile looking. And how she uses impasto technique really makes me focus on the texture instead of precise details, don't you think? Curator: Texture becomes emotion, I feel. Maybe a longing, a vulnerability behind the strong exterior. She gives the figure such humanity with these deliberate impastos! It almost hurts my fingertips to think of applying such thickness. Editor: It makes me wonder about Hodgkins' own state of mind as she was creating this! So interesting that the artist might express her internal feelings as thick or thin marks. Curator: Right, so it's like we're not just seeing Cedric, we're catching a glimpse of Hodgkins' perspective as well...It feels like two artists speaking to each other across a canvas, wouldn’t you say? Editor: Yes! That almost makes the portrait feel less like a study and more like an exchange between artists, which changes my perception drastically. It really brings depth to how I'm viewing it! Curator: Ah, depth! Just imagine the many other secrets we can find in artworks, right? Always digging a little deeper!