Transparent watercolor with graphite underdrawing, brown iron gall ink
and red ink on cream, moderately thick, smooth wove paper
H: 13 1/8 x W: 8 3/8 in. (33.3 x 21.2 cm)
Highly ambiguous, this drawing can be read in a number of ways, and the
caption only serves to make the image more enigmatic. The central
character of this vignette wears an elaborate costume and covers his
mouth in a gesture of deep contemplation. We are given access to his
thoughts: "I have hurt Pamela." But if the dancing girl behind him is
Pamela, she looks anything but hurt! Either Pamela is not really hurt,
and the man is presumptuous in his belief that she is, or this woman is
the object of Pamela's disaffection. The lack of any setting further
enhances the mystery. Although it is called "Actors," a title curators
assigned it when they originally catalogued it into the collection in
the 1930s, there is nothing to indicate that this is a scene from a
play, and it could just as easily represent an event during carnival
season or a masquerade ball.
Drawing and text from:
The Walters Museum
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