Cravat c. 1937

Catherine Fowler made this drawing of a cravat using graphite and watercolor on paper. I wonder what the story is behind the cravat - was it a particularly fine material that caught her eye, or was it an exercise in pattern and form? It’s a charming piece with its blue and white geometric pattern, interspersed with tiny rosettes and floral motifs. It seems to be a work of precision and care. You can see how the neatness of the lines and the symmetry of the cravat give it a formal feel. But when you look closer, there are subtle variations in the watercolor washes and delicate imperfections in the floral patterns. This brings a sense of the handmade, a human touch that warms the composition. Thinking about the time the artist made this, I wonder about her influences and creative circle. Artists are always responding to each other's ideas. Catherine Fowler makes me want to pick up a brush and join in that conversation.