Sore Throat 1929

Peggy Bacon made this drawing of a child, probably with charcoal or pencil, and it’s full of subtle, scratchy marks. The whole scene is rendered in a soft, muted palette, mainly different shades of gray, which gives the image a gentle, almost dreamlike quality. Looking at this, I can imagine Bacon bending over her subject, trying to capture the child’s tender state with quick, light strokes. She probably wanted to depict the child's illness with empathy. The soft lines around the child’s sweater and the way he is holding whatever he is holding, give a sense of care and concern. It’s like she’s trying to convey the feeling of a mother’s warm embrace. There is a long tradition of artists who create a sense of intimacy through portraiture, such as Alice Neel. Bacon, like Neel, uses simple gestures to explore the human condition. It’s inspiring to see how artists across time continue to find new ways to express universal feelings through paint.