Eyes of the beholder

An artist at her easel studies a very ordinary life model: a scruffy, middle‚ aged fellow in a leopard‚ print loincloth, chin raised and belly out, clutching a makeshift spear. On the canvas, however, he becomes a bronzed demigod‚ chiselled torso, square jaw and heroic stance. A ginger cat noses the spear as paint tubes and brushes scatter across the floor, while a mug of tea steams nearby. The joke lands in the title: beauty, and truth, lie in the eye of the beholder. It s a tender caricature of artistic licence and wishful thinking, poking fun at how painters (and people) re‚ imagine reality. Loose watercolour lines and soft washes keep the scene bright and affectionate, celebrating creativity as much as it teases vanity. The studio feels lived‚ in‚ rolled sleeves, pencils tucked behind an ear, a splash on the artist s jeans‚ reminding us that making art is messy, joyful work. This witty scene champions imagination over literal accuracy and the delightful gap between subject and masterpiece.