Joe is most celebrated for his attentive depictions of life, most notably the harrowing chapters of his own story distilled in his “Migration Boat” works. He also returned again and again to the form of a single standing figure, whether animal (see lots 79 and 138) or human, as a way of focusing his vision into one concentrated presence. Here, that presence takes the form of a woman who seems to pause amid her daily chores just long enough to be seen. She stands as though posing for a portrait, her weight resting on one foot in a gesture that gives her body both balance and sway. A pail in one hand and a scoop in the other ground her firmly in the cadence of everyday life, while her gaze meets ours directly. Her features — large eyes and a slight, knowing smile — are rendered with precision and sensitivity, suggesting that Joe sought not only to record her likeness but also to capture something of her spirit. Gorgeous.

ND