Still Life by a Window c. 1916

Editor: This is Louise Pickard's, "Still Life by a Window" from the Tate collection; no exact date is known, but she lived from 1865 to 1928. Curator: Oh, I love the mood! It feels very humble, domestic. Almost a bit melancholy, like the day's work is done. Editor: It's interesting you say that because the still life tradition itself has always been a loaded genre. Whose domesticity are we really seeing here? Curator: True, but Pickard's brushwork gives it such a gentle touch. See how the light filters through the window? She finds the beauty in simple things. Editor: Perhaps, but I also think about what's absent. Where are the people? The table is laden with food but who will eat it? Curator: Maybe she’s saying that beauty and life are found even in the quiet moments, absent of people. Editor: That's a lovely sentiment, and Pickard certainly invites contemplation of the everyday. Curator: Exactly. I feel grateful I got to see this painting.