I like old photographs because there's a certain kind of stern formality about them. And also I think one gets a sense of the passage of time with the old pictures. I'm just kind of fascinated by them. But that has an emotional quality too, I think. For some people Routen's work appears unfinished.
Some figures lack detail.
And the gridwork is often revealed. There isn't any way that you can tell anybody that you can know a painting is done. A painting is done, or a drawing is done, if you get a certain sense of completeness from what you have there. I've worked off and on for years on some paintings. I'll think maybe I've finished a painting a couple of times and then decide afterall it wasn't any good.