Cruciform - Bulto 1935 - 1942

Majel G. Claflin made this watercolour painting, Cruciform - Bulto, at an unknown date. The colours here are quite muted; reds, greens and greys, which gives the piece a certain melancholy. You can tell Claflin was really thinking about the making process. The watercolour is thinly applied, allowing the paper's texture to show through which gives the piece a delicate feel. The way the red paint drips down Christ's body is particularly striking. It’s not just about showing pain, but also about the physicality of the paint itself. It's like the painting is bleeding, too. It has something in common with the work of Emmi Whitehorse, who also uses watercolour to create these incredibly moving and vulnerable images. Art is always in conversation, echoing and answering across time.