Figurehead: Eagle c. 1937

This drawing of an eagle figurehead was made by Frances Cohen, using what looks like pencil or charcoal on paper. The eagle is presented as a study in white against a smoky blue-grey background. What strikes me is how the softness of the medium and the muted palette invite a real intimacy with the object. The eagle itself is highly stylized, its feathers rendered as repetitive, almost calligraphic marks. Look at how Cohen captures the texture of the wood, the way the light catches on its carved surfaces. You can almost feel the grain. The physical presence of the medium - is delicate but precise. It reminds me of some of Agnes Martin's quieter drawings, where the repetition of simple forms creates a kind of meditative space. Cohen’s work, like Martin's, embraces ambiguity, suggesting that meaning is not fixed but always in process, always evolving.