What brought these women to this moment? Lying still on the couch, flushed by morning light, one rests on the other’s lap while she braids her hair. Too dressed up for a day spent lounging about, this young woman appears lost in thought. Are we witnessing the denouement of an evening? The unbraiding of hair? Or is she a bridesmaid imagining her turn at the altar, a lovelorn maiden contemplating a proposal or an adolescent on the cusp of adulthood?

Like much of Brian Dunlop’s work, the aesthetic refinement of ‘The Plait’ betrays a rich yet undetermined story. The work features one of the artists daughters and a family friend, not as themselves but rather characters in a still unfolding play. As delicate and intricate as any braid, ‘The Plait’ sets up a beguiling mise-en-scene. It recalls the kind of intimacy shared in still moments where some of our biggest decisions are wagered.

Among Australia’s most celebrated figurative painters, Dunlop’s work is represented in all state galleries. A reminder of the uncertainty of youth, ‘The Plait’ will entrance collectors of figurative art, interior scenes and important Australian art. Come sit for a bit.


Brian DUNLOP (1938 - 2009)
'The Plait'
archival pigment print on paper
Edition of 250
Image Size: 56 x 81 cm
Dimensions: 72 x 91 cm
Signed: Bears a facsimile of the artist’s signature and a studio stamp from the Estate of the Artist lower right; inscribed with edition number and title in pencil in margin below image.
Comes with Letter of Provenance

Condition: Excellent 
© The Artist or Assignee