Thomas Woodruff

Once upon a time, beholding a Thomas Woodruff painting could be exhausting. So many invented details—even tiny ones have details. So many clever ideas. Then we notice the art-historical references both obvious and obscure. And the drawing—it’s always flawless. Not a clumsy gesture anywhere; everything is exquisitely articulated and moves gracefully in space. So much diligent work and scholarship begging to be appreciated. No room for a viewer’s thinking except as worshipful supplicant. Images so dense with incident they seem like armor created to protect, or repel, or hide . . . well, what, exactly? Criticism? Insecurity? Fear of losing control?