Attempts to Draw a Freehand Circle
50 Attempts to Draw a Freehand Circle
acrylic on canvas
102 x 102 cm
1974
private collection
21 Attempts to Draw a Freehand Circle (Recapitulatory)
acrylic on canvas
1974
Extracted from Works & Texts to 1992 p.137
I've always been fascinated by the story of Giotto drawing a freehand circle to demonstrate his prowess. It is an old topos that would have been as much at home in Pliny or an ancient Chinese treatise on art.
Did anyone at the time think to measure Giotto's circle against one drawn with a compass?
The question continued to worry me. In 1974 I thought I'd have a go myself. In fact, not being Giotto I gave myself rather more chances than one of getting it right.
The small group of paintings in which I made several shots might be subtitled The advantages of not being Giotto.