Velvet Slipper c. 1940

Melita Hofmann rendered this Velvet Slipper with graphite and colored pencil on paper. What I love about this piece is the way it uses the visual language of design or illustration, but remains within the realm of fine art. I can just imagine the artist layering those soft pinks and reds, trying to capture the nap of the fabric and the light as it hits those curves. It’s so playful and loose but accurate. And the small drawing of the sole of the slipper, like a little afterthought or addendum, almost makes me laugh. It reminds me of some of the more whimsical artists from the early twentieth century. You can almost imagine this design adorning the feet of some Jazz Age flapper. What a nice thing to consider.