In this paper, we are going to discuss such a picture as Girl Child by Richard Phillips. In particular, we need to focus on its artistic peculiarities and most importantly the impressions, which this work produces. The critique will comprise four stages: description, analysis, interpretation, and evaluation. In this way, we will be able to get a better understanding of the authors style and the techniques that he employs. Apart from that, this approach may probably enhance the enjoyment, derived from this picture. However, at first, we should briefly introduce it.
Richard Philips Girl Child is oil on linen painting. The canvas is currently exhibited in the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. As far as its content is concerned, we may say that it is rather difficult to determine what this picture is exactly about. First, one may presume that Richard Phillips depicts the same person at various stages of her development, namely childhood and adolescence. To some extent, the title of the picture suggests such a line of reasoning. Nevertheless, we can suppose that these are two different individuals, an infant, and a teenager. We shall dwell on this hypothesis in the following section. Again, we have to stress the idea that Girl Child is not narrative in its core; it is based on the use of symbols. This work gives rise to various associations and can be analyzed from several perspectives.
The first detail which immediately attracts the attention of the viewer is that Richard Phillips portrays the character (or characters) naked. We say “characters” because these girls are different not only in terms of their age but also in terms of appearance, facial expression, the color of the eyes, and so forth. Naturally, we cannot state it for a fact that they are absolutely stripped because we can see the only upper part of their bodies, but the nudity of the girl is one of the most important aspects. Another component that should not be disregarded is the expression of the eyes. The teenage girl appears to be somewhat perplexed and ashamed, especially in comparison with the child who resolutely fixes her eyes at some point. Her determination (or even anger) is strikingly different from the bewilderment and confusion of the adolescent. The overall impression is as if they are looking at someone who may be of the opposite sex. Yet, this is just a supposition. In this picture, Phillips gives preference to a bright palette, juxtaposing dark and bright colors. The background is light grey, and perhaps, it serves only to bring out the figures of girls. These are the elements that give us room for interpretation and evaluation.
The perception of Girl Child significantly depends upon the personality of the viewer. In my opinion, there are two major themes, which Richard Philips explores in the painting. First and foremost, we should mention the process of growth and development. At first glance, such interpretation may quite plausible, yet the question arises why the painter emphasized their nakedness. What was his purpose in doing so? At this stage, we can only advance only conjectures. Perhaps, the author intends to show the transformation of sexuality at several stages of a persons life. Despite the fact that the little girl is stripped she does not seem to have any qualms about it. Her lips are half sealed and she appears to be a bit disgruntled. In sharp contrast, the adolescent is very sensual. In addition to that, one may even think that she has been caught off guard. She has already understood that her body might be an object of sexual desire. This evolution in sexuality is arguably the key idea that Richard Phillips wants to convey to other people.
The evaluation of Girl Child is always a subjective notion, which is determined by individual liking and disliking. The painting is executed in the post-modern style, which does not appeal to everyone. In my opinion, Richard Phillips created a masterful piece of artistic work; he accurately and vividly describes changes not only in the persons physical appearance but also in her inner world. This feature makes Girl Child so absorbing. The artist wants the onlooker to feel that this girl is gazing directly at him and it has a mesmerizing effect, which requires prodigious skills, keenness of observation, and the ability to put oneself into the position of the spectator. This combination of these qualities is a very rare gift. Certainly, this is just a personal standpoint and it does not necessarily mean that others would agree with it.
To conclude, in this essay, we have tried to provide an artistic critique of the painting Girl Child. It is quite possible for us to argue that such a form of critique cannot be absolutely objective and impartial as it is mostly shaped by the preferences of the critic. As for the picture, itself, we may say that Richard Phillips shows how people alter their attitude toward sexuality with time passing. From an artistic point of view, this picture elegantly comprises both realism and symbolism, and in this way, the artist creates vivid and powerful images.