Henry Wallis
The
Death of Chatterton
1856
oil on canvas
62.2 x 93.3 cm
Tate Britain, London
Silence,
ominous situations. What has been and what is about to happen? A certain
vulnerability or transition within depicted images is what inspires me. Tensions
that provoke the viewers or invite them to contemplate about the seen image or
their own perception of the image. Sometimes I prefer abstract art, and
sometimes figurative. There are a lot of artists that inspire me. Some more
then others but every work I see leaves its traces in my mind. From the heavy
material based installations by Carl André to the pictorial images shrouded in
darkness by Caravaggio. From the meditative, elementary and planned drawings by
Jan Hoving to the narrative tonal after-images by Luc Tuymans. The works that
inspire me the most depict a certain fragility from the makers own hands. This
varies from the illusion of painting, the subtle and careful handling of the
material or the carefulness in which the story of the image is translated with
the chosen material.
For exactly that last reason I chose the painting “The Death of Chatterton”
(1856) by Henry Wallis (1830-1916). The painting is made with utmost care for
detail and realism. It shows the exact moment where Thomas Chatterton, a poet
and forger from 1770 who grew out to a cult hero, committed suicide at the age
of 17. As a viewer I got the feeling that I opened the door to the attic myself
and found Chatterton on his bed breathing out his final breath while his
ethereal being left the attic through the window. The intimacy of this moment
and the intensity of the decision is tangible in the painting. It creates a
direct and confronting awareness of our fragility as humans. It gives the
viewer space for contemplation and self-awareness at the same time. A wonderful
piece that continues to inspire me.
Robin Gerris, 2014
Robin Gerris (NL)
Monolith
3
2014
phototransfer on plaster, latex paint, tightening
straps
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