Railroad 1914

Félix Del Marle made this drawing of a Railroad with ink and watercolour. Look at how he's used simple lines and shapes to create this sense of depth, drawing your eye along the tracks. It's like a stage set, isn't it? I'm really drawn to the use of line here, especially the way the artist layers the ink and the way he uses hatching to suggest the play of light and shadow. The brown and red colours are earthy and warm, giving the scene a sense of nostalgia. The red tracks almost vibrate against the brown background. The ink work is expressive, full of little imperfections that make it feel really alive. See how the lines aren't perfectly straight and there's a bit of bleeding here and there? That's what makes it sing! The way Del Marle simplifies and abstracts the scene reminds me of Lyonel Feininger, especially his prints of buildings and cityscapes. Both artists share a similar interest in architectural forms, though Del Marle is pushing towards complete abstraction. I think it's that tension between representation and abstraction that makes this piece so interesting.