Corrida Four 1973

Editor: This is Dame Elisabeth Frink's 'Corrida Four' from the Tate Collection. There is an immediate tension created by the limited palette of browns, orange, and white. What compositional elements strike you most about this print? Curator: Observe how Frink uses the interplay of positive and negative space. The stark white background throws the figures into sharp relief. The forms are reduced to their essential elements, conveying a sense of raw energy and conflict. Note also the textural contrast between the smooth ground and the coarse rendering of the figures. Editor: So, it's less about the subject matter and more about how Frink presents them? Curator: Precisely. The rough, almost brutal application of ink enhances the drama. We can analyze it by carefully considering the formal relations enacted upon the surface of the print. The way Frink applied this printing process is intriguing, wouldn’t you agree? Editor: I do. I hadn't considered how the process itself contributes to the overall feeling. Thank you!