Curiosity 

Eugene de Blaas painted "Curiosity" using oil on canvas. The composition centers around a ladder leaning against a brick wall, occupied by two women, one ascending, the other already perched at the top, their gazes directed upwards and outwards. The colour palette is soft, with earthy tones in the brickwork contrasting against the greens and creams of the women's dresses. The image is divided vertically. The rough, textured wall on one side is balanced by soft foliage on the other, creating a play between the man-made and natural elements. The arrangement encourages a semiotic reading: the ladder as a symbol of aspiration, the wall as a barrier, and the women embodying the concept of curiosity, using posture and direction of gaze. De Blaas creates a tension between the concrete reality of the scene and its implied narrative. The formal structure of the artwork supports the reading of curiosity as more than a simple act but as a dynamic interplay of space, gaze, and the tension between enclosure and the unknown.