Monday, 10 August 2026

#361: The Convalescent, or My confidence is scattered and held by others

Oil on canvas.  A person sits on a sofa.  Their head, hands and feet are completely wrapped in bandages and they are looking down to their left.  They are otherwise wearing all white.

Around them stand several people who are caring for them in various ways.  They bring medicines or food, or sit beside them, a hand on their back and a caring look on their face.  From their pockets or in their hair, as well in floral arrangements and hidden in the wallpaper, can be seen coxcombs, ferns and hepatica.  Also on their clothes, in the wallpaper and in artworks on the walls are tigers and peacocks.  The colours red, yellow and black feature prominently through the scene everywhere but in the central figure.  

Inscribed in the frame - carved with tigers, peacocks, ferns, coxcoms and hepaticas - is the following:

friends and relations

hold all of my confidence

convinced of something

that they hold from me always

believing i hold it too 

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