Morality Play

Chris Cosnowski

​This painting depicts a porcelain aristocrat torso and bars of soap. The soaps “Moroccan Oil” and “Damask Rose” evoke notions of the exotic. “French Retro” alludes to the French Aristocracy as well as Rococo painting. Lavender can refer to luxury or the pastel colors of rococo painting. The world “Toilette” in the title refers to boudoir paintings of Boucher. It all adds up to an allegory about colonialism in the 18th century as well as ideas of privilege, wealth and title.

Colonial Toilette, 2021
oil on panel
17 x 29 in   43.2 x 73.7 cm