Wrought Iron Cross 1935 - 1942

An anonymous artist made this drawing of a wrought iron cross with ink wash on paper. The palette is so simple, almost a monochrome, allowing the drawing to be more about the process of looking, and then carefully describing what's there. The textures have been built up with thin washes that allow the structure of the cross to come into focus, like a photograph developing in the dark room. Look closely and you can see where the artist built up thicker layers to describe the light as it plays across the surface of the iron. There’s a real sensitivity here. The simple spear tips at the base of the cross seem to push downward, grounding the airy swirls of iron above. The overall effect is quite touching in it’s humble, dedicated way. This reminds me of the drawings of metalwork made by Charles Demuth. Both artists find unexpected beauty in everyday objects.