The Poor Family c. 1923

Editor: So, this is "The Poor Family" by William Roberts, we're not sure exactly when it was made. It's a small drawing, somehow both angular and hunched. What strikes you about it? Curator: Well, those huddled figures, almost geometric in their despair. Notice how Roberts uses the grid—the visible underdrawing. It's like he's mapping not just space, but also the constraints of their lives, wouldn't you say? Editor: That's interesting, the grid almost feels like a cage. Curator: Precisely! And look at the lack of detail in their faces. Are they individuals, or types? Perhaps Roberts wants us to see them as representative of a wider struggle? Editor: I hadn’t thought of it that way, but it makes sense. I was just focused on the sadness. Curator: Sadness, yes, but also resilience. Even in the starkest lines, there's a quiet dignity, don't you think? Editor: I see it now. Thanks for pointing that out.