The Serio-comic Governess c. 1902

William James Glackens made this drawing, "The Serio-comic Governess," with what looks like a graphite stick. It is a drawing of a man smoking a pipe while holding a golf club, with a child carrying his golf bag behind him. Looking at Glackens' hand moving across the page, I think of how each mark tells a story. The lines define the forms, of course, but they are also so expressive, capturing the nuances of character and the subtleties of light and shadow. I wonder about the relationship between the golfer and caddy. There's something about the way Glackens has captured that dynamic in just a few strokes that feels so true. It's like the old masters - he shares the sense that artists are in an ongoing conversation across time, inspiring one another's creativity. I feel part of it too!