Floral Design 19th-20th century

Curator: This small drawing, only about 15 by 19 centimeters, is titled *Floral Design* and it’s by Denman Waldo Ross. We don’t have a date for it. Editor: It feels incredibly fragile, almost like a breath on paper. The two floral forms, they're so lightly sketched, nearly disappearing into the page. Curator: Ross was quite interested in design theory, and his use of pencil here really emphasizes line and form. He explored color theory, too—he even invented a color harmony system! Editor: You know, looking at the way these blossoms are rendered, there's a feeling of something mass-produced—like a stamp or stencil. Were these designs intended for textiles, perhaps? Curator: Possibly. He was a collector of textiles, and influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement, so I think the idea of making art accessible was definitely on his mind. Editor: And that tension, between the handmade mark and the suggestion of mass production, makes this modest drawing quite compelling. Curator: Absolutely. It really invites us to think about the creative process, doesn't it?