Woman on a Balcony 1884

Editor: This is "Woman on a Balcony," painted in 1884 by Tom Roberts. The textures created by the oil paint make you feel like you're standing right there with her. What do you think is happening in this piece? Curator: Well, she’s certainly caught in a moment of quiet introspection, isn’t she? You almost feel like you’re intruding on her private space, standing there on her balcony, you know? The brushstrokes themselves are so free, it's as if Roberts dashed it all down in one fleeting impression – a moment in time held captive on canvas. He was very into painting *en plein air* like many impressionist painters of his day. I think you almost get the feeling he wanted to capture the fleeting nature of modern life at the time. Does it evoke any particular memories or sensations for you? Editor: It makes me think about those slow afternoons in summer, the kind where time seems to stand still and I’m perfectly content doing nothing. Curator: Exactly! There’s a lovely stillness to it, but it is balanced with those impasto strokes, which bring everything to life, capturing light in such a unique way. Think of her poised there between the inside and the outside…What’s going through her mind, do you imagine? Or more profoundly, does the answer even matter? What Roberts delivers feels to me so far beyond mere photographic rendering. Editor: That makes sense! It's like Roberts wanted us to create our own narrative instead. Curator: Precisely! It becomes a collaboration, you see? It asks us what we bring to the painting. Editor: I never thought about it like that. It gives me a new appreciation for it, like stepping into a dialogue. Curator: Isn't it marvelous? We look, but maybe more importantly, we feel and we connect.