Embroidered sleeve c. 1938

Frank Nelson made this drawing of an embroidered sleeve, though we don’t know exactly when or with what. You can almost feel the hand of the maker here, can’t you? Each tiny stitch, each floral sprig, is so carefully rendered. I imagine Frank, sitting with the sleeve, gently capturing its folds and flourishes. Maybe he was thinking about the person who made it? The hours of labor involved in such delicate work? The whole thing just has such a quiet, thoughtful quality. It’s pale. The surface of the drawing has a lovely texture, with subtle variations in tone that give the sleeve a real sense of depth. There’s a lovely tradition of artists drawing other artists' work. It’s a way of honoring their craft and participating in an ongoing conversation about skill and beauty. Maybe Frank had this in mind? Or maybe he just wanted to capture the simple beauty of this everyday object. Either way, it’s a lovely reminder of the power of art to connect us across time and space.