Jack Chambers. Diego Reading, 1976–1977. oil and synthetic paint in natural resin varnish on plywood, Overall: 93.5 × 93 × 5.7 cm. Purchase with the assistance of the Judith Rachel Harris Foundation and Ethel Harris, 2007. © Estate of Jack Chambers. 2007/92
The title of the work is Diego Reading (Sunday Morning No.5), created in 1976 to 1977 by the artist Jack Chambers. Painted in a hyper-realistic style, this oil on wood painting is square-shaped, measuring 91.4 cm squared.
A child sits reading a book in a living room decorated for Christmas. As viewers, we are in the middle of the room, facing a window that looks out onto a snowy suburban street.
The photorealistic painting has the muted warm glow of a faded photograph.
The young white brunette boy sits with his back to the window, facing us. He sits with his left leg crossed over his right on an armchair with plush sea green upholstery as he reads a comic book. He is dressed in a red turtleneck sweater, brown slacks, and matching red socks.
Behind the boy, on the beige wall, two framed images hang on either side of sea green drapes, which are pushed aside to reveal a large, glass-paned window. Neighbouring snow-covered houses, lawns, and the street make up the scene outside. Towering conifers and a large leafless tree reach out of the snow.
Inside, a small television set rests on the floor to the left of the boy. A remote controller and a small glass of water are placed on top of it. Beside the television, to the far left side of the painting is a full, pear-shaped Christmas tree adorned with a number of red, blue, yellow, and silver ornaments.
A three-tiered red and gold fringed tree topper hangs from the ceiling, resembling a floating birthday hat above the Christmas tree.
A table, covered with a red tablecloth the same shade as the boy's sweater, sits in the foreground of the Christmas tree. Only one corner of the table is shown as the rest is cropped by the left edge of the painting. Nativity scene figurines sit on the table, and directly under the table is a potted bouquet of bulbous marigold-like flowers.
To the right of the boy, there is a large red poinsettia plant on the floor, next to another armchair with light yellow and green vertical-striped upholstery. A white and red floral upholstered piece of furniture is cut off in the right foreground.
An ornate red, yellow, blue and white rug is placed in the middle of the room and foreground. It acts as a bridge leading the viewer into the scene. This painting is part of the Our House section of the exhibition, evoking memories of childhood, holiday rituals, and familiar domestic spaces.