'Eulalia's Endeavor' by GoatJr - a Critical Appreciation
The composition draws the eye from the foreground, through the arch, into the distant scene beyond, as we witness the different stages of processing being undertaken. The resulting sense of depth and the open doors invite us to explore the scene thoroughly. Full clarity is maintained in all areas of the picture, allowing us to observe everything in detail.
In a contrast between male and female roles, five male guards are supervising a dozen female prisoners, the furthest girls being fully dressed and therefore plausibly new arrivals. Three girls are disrobing on the right, and all those in the left half of the picture are naked, or nearly so. Whilst many of the girls are facing us, all but one of the guards is seen from behind, appearing functional and impersonal. They are engaging at close quarters with the girls, many of whom are visibly distressed. In most cases, we are literally looking over the guards' shoulders to view the action.
Another compositional device divides the picture into thirds. The central scene is the view through the arch, on the left we have a view of the occupants inside a cell, and on the right is the undressing scene. The nearest guard looms large in the left foreground, pointing to a girl inside the cell, indicating that she should come out next. We can see her fearful expression in detail, complete with frightened, wide eyes, moist with falling tears. She has every reason to be afraid. Her friend is crouching on the floor, clutching herself, probably in pain, having just been returned to the cell.
In contrast, the two occupants of the bunks lie exhausted, perhaps in a merciful, albeit temporary sleep. The lower occupant displays the marks of a recent whipping on her back. The open door is also distressed, in the sense of showing damaged paint, and we can read a name, scratched into the lower part - 'GoatJr'. He knows this place; he has been here, and is in a position to show us what he has seen. After all, this is a documentary image.
The guard with a shaven head uses his right hand to lift the chin of the girl before him. He wants to take a good look at her face, but her pose is defensive, and she is an unwilling participant. Beyond the arch, another guard leans with the flat of his hand against the wall, addressing a blindfolded girl, who has been handcuffed to a pipe. The pipe appears to serve no other purpose. Her ankles are also restrained, and the guard is one of two who carries a whip. Perhaps the blindfold is to prevent her from anticipating where the strikes will land upon her?
The picture repays close examination for the wealth of detail and character interaction on display. There is a pervading atmosphere of tension and fear. The guards are dressed in 1943 pattern NKVD uniforms, with shoulder boards and stand collars, but this observation is probably reading too much into the picture. Figure scale, lighting, shadows and character interaction are all commendably convincing for such a complex, multi-figure manipulation. Congratulations on creating such a remarkable image, GoatJr!