Moshe Dayan, Minister of Defense 1973

This portrait of Moshe Dayan, Minister of Defense, is by Oskar Kokoschka, but the date isn’t known. You know, looking at this drawing, I can almost feel Kokoschka’s hand moving across the page. It is a furious and energetic line. He’s really chasing something here, maybe trying to capture the essence of Dayan’s character, or perhaps his political persona. I wonder if he was a fan? There’s a raw immediacy to the marks, with this incredible economy of line, the essence of this important political figure is captured, and the iconic eye-patch made unforgettable. I think about other artists who’ve worked in portraiture, like Alice Neel, for example. She was also interested in capturing the psychological depths of her sitters. And I see that lineage here. It’s like these artists are all in conversation across time, inspiring each other to push the boundaries of what painting and drawing can do. For me, this drawing invites us to embrace uncertainty and accept that there can be multiple interpretations.