‘Punch and Judy’ by Jill Mirza

Artist:         JILL MIRZA      Title:   ‘Punch and Judy’       Medium:   Acrylic on Canvas       Date:  2010      Size:  20 cm x 20 cm       Frame:  25 cm x 25 cm

A traditional and gaudy feature of the beach in Swanage, the Punch and Judy kiosk with its decorations, stripes and vivid colours draws the crowds,. In the painting the play of horizontal stripes on the windbreaks and ripples on the sea balance the dominating vertical stripes of the booth. The elaborate decorative top is picked up by the shapes of the Isle of Wight cliffs in the background. The light puppets against the dark background of the stage are balanced by the dark heads in the foreground against the red and white stripes of the kiosk. Horizontals and verticals, dark and light contrasts, bright colours make for a lively image.