Sugar Merchant's Suit 1935 - 1942

Henry De Wolfe's 'Sugar Merchant's Suit' is a drawing of a suit, likely made with graphite on paper. What strikes me is the ghostliness of it, this image of a suit rendered with such delicate lines against the grey paper. The artist is playing with the idea of form and figure but without a figure. It's all subtle tonal variations, whispers of shadow that suggest depth and volume. The light seems to emanate from within the suit itself, giving it an ethereal presence. Look closely and you can see how the artist uses tiny, almost imperceptible strokes to build up the forms. There's a real tenderness in that, in the way the artist coaxes the image into being, almost like breathing life into something inanimate. It makes me think a little of Giorgio Morandi and his still lifes, taking everyday objects and elevating them to something monumental through sheer attention and care. It’s more than just clothes, it’s a portrait of absence.