Contrasts
/Adolph Dehn
1956
American, 1895-1968
Watercolor on paper
Gift of the Dehn Estate, made possible by Harmon-Meek Gallery
Florida Southern College Permanent Collection FP.2017.29.70
Truly an essay in contrasts, the aptly-titled painting presents us with two superficially very different women. Train your close-looking eyes on these cartoonish characters, each a “type” but also each individualized with her own traits and set of emotions. Describe each figure, what she is wearing, where she places her hands, her posture, etc. What do you envision as their backstories? What makes them different and what do they have in common? Who do we relate to and why? Consider also how dramatically this narrative will change depending on who is doing the telling. Personal life experience and empathy for the lives of others will impact every story we relate.