THE DRAUGHTSMAN'S CONTRACT

England 1694: a draughtsman is contracted to create drawings of a stately home, and, through his sketches, uncovers clues to the murder of its owner. The Draughtsman’s Contract was the first narrative feature film by British director Peter Greenaway, one of the country’s foremost auteurs.

His unique creative vision appears here fully developed in this enigmatic, witty and innovative debut, which was followed by other equally imaginative works, such as A Zed & Two Noughts (1985), Drowning By Numbers (1988), The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover (1989) and Prospero’s Books (1991). Film critic Alexander Walker wrote that ‘visually, the film is one of the most elegant that’s ever been made in Britain’. Greenaway, aided by cinematographer Curtis Clarke, plays with framing, using the draughtsman’s frame and easel to focus the eye on details within the cinematic frame.

Greenaway’s artistic training comes through in visual references to works by Caravaggio and Gainsborough, with scenes alternating between dimly candlelit interiors and sunlit exterior views of the beautiful house and grounds. The flamboyant Restoration costumes, designed by Sue Blane, are complemented by the florid dialogue which barely conceals the scandalous behaviour and scheming of the characters.

Michael Nyman’s skilful pastiches of the musical works of contemporary British composer Henry Purcell also contribute immensely to the film’s period evocation, which is tinged with a modern twist. 

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Text: Josephine Botting