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A distorted view
Painting is not about copying what's in front of you. The painter takes the information in front of him (her) and arranges it to best describe his (her) pictorial intentions.
Distortion used by such a great draftsman as Dewing is obviously intentional and due to personal choice and by no means by lack of skill.
Distortion created by lack of draftsmanship (bad drawing) is another story and obviously, looking at the sensitive observation in the heads he painted, Dewing was certainly not a bad drawer.
I always try to discern, when looking at something that seems askew in a painting by a great artist, why they did what they did. I also do this while looking at the brilliant passages as well.
To me, analysis is the best way to learn from the great masters.
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