The Liar 1936

Archibald Motley’s painting captures a smoky, late-night scene of figures gathered around a pool table. The paint is applied in thin, deliberate layers, almost like watercolor, giving the figures a soft, hazy quality. I can imagine Motley layering colours, trying to capture the exact shade of a face in dim light. His painting seems not just about representation, but about feeling the weight of stories in the air. The colour palette is dusky, dominated by browns and purples, which evokes the sense of a close, dark space. The figure in the foreground, sprawled in his chair, gesturing wildly, brings out a narrative element. I’m reminded of Marsden Hartley’s portraits, where a single gesture can communicate a whole world of feeling. Like all good paintings, this one allows for a kind of openness, where the full story remains elusive.