Details of Paneling 1935 - 1942

Charles Squires made these paneling details with pen and ink on paper. I imagine him hunched over a desk, meticulously drawing each line, each flourish of these classical motifs. You can see the care and precision in every stroke, but also the artist's hand. The lines aren't perfectly uniform, but have a slight wobble that gives them a sense of life. It's as if Squires is breathing life into these old forms, making them his own. The vases and foliage are so old, but drawing them now, Squires looks to the future. Artists are always building on what came before. They're in conversation with the past, but also looking to the future. And that's what makes art so exciting!