Ornament 1935 - 1942

Erwin Stenzel made this drawing of an ornament, we're not sure when, and with graphite and watercolor on paper. It’s interesting to see how the brown watercolor creates a sense of depth and volume, almost like a sculpture on the page. The texture looks pretty smooth, but there's a bit of variation in the color that hints at the physical presence of the ornament, you know, the way light might catch on a real object. Take a look at the way Stenzel uses darker browns and blacks to define the edges and create shadows. See how this makes the ornament pop out from the pale paper background? This piece reminds me a bit of some of the architectural drawings made during the Renaissance, where artists would meticulously render details of buildings and ornaments. There’s something about the dedication to detail that feels timeless and also kind of quirky. It’s like Stenzel is saying, "Hey, even the smallest thing can be beautiful if you really look at it."