[Ann Drysdale]

Because of a certain type of traditional doll being banned over here on grounds of political incorrectness, my eye was drawn to the positioning of your dolls and all I can't help seeing the white doll smiling alongside his triumphant bugles while at his feet, with an expression of disbelief, lies...

And a fallen war-painted mask... A globe... A teapot...?

I am sorry. I am not a "visual" person. If I look at a picture I can't actually "see" anything until I have told myself what I am looking at. This is almost instantaneous but a part of my perception process. I hadn't noticed the colours particularly, they were part of this deceptively haphazard arrangement, the evidence of an artists eye for making a whole canvas sing, as this does. It sings to me anyway.

I also had a flickering memory of the marionette, Petrushka, brought down the Moor, and seeing him "dead"... The puppet-master lifts him aloft to show the audience - "Look - it's just a puppet!"

And these are just puppets, too, are they not? Oh, oh - Amerigo.

Please forgive me, Rick, if I have hurt your picture.