Iron Officer on Horse c. 1937

John Wilkes' "Iron Officer on Horse" is a drawing made sometime in the 17th century, but its not only the subject matter that gives us a feeling for history. It's also in the mark making. The artist used a kind of hatching technique to build up the dark areas of the image, and it reminds me of the way we often build up a painting, not by trying to copy what we see, but by layering on different marks and lines until something starts to emerge. Look at the way the horse's leg is drawn, with these short, choppy lines, almost like it's been sculpted out of metal. It’s this repetitive approach to the hatching that is both descriptive and abstract, that gives the piece an unusual sense of form. Wilkes' drawing makes me think of the work of Marsden Hartley, who was also interested in American folk art. Both artists use a kind of simplified, direct approach to their subjects that has a lot of power, and reminds us that art is never really finished, it is more of an ongoing conversation across time.