This small format painting shows how intensity and presence can be achieved without recourse to a grandly proportioned surface. Measuring just 10 inches by 8 inches unframed, the centrally positioned subject appears against a vibrant golden yellow background, perfectly chosen to captivate and attract our initial attention. From here we engage with the delicately sketched yet seemingly stoic donkey whose saddle supports two simple vases containing stems and flowers. There's a knowing imbalance in the floral arrangements which somehow contribute pathos and a sense of urgency to the scene. In a relatively direct way, this painting entices us toward a temporary reverie where mystery and wonder unfold from small places. Perhaps it offers something we miss, a fleeting intuition that might, any moment, be lost forever. Auction estimate GBP 30,000 – 50,000.