Wall Bracket (Ecclesiastical) 1939

Curator: This drawing, titled "Wall Bracket (Ecclesiastical)," was completed by Edward Jewett in 1939. What stands out to you initially? Editor: Well, it has this curious softness about it, even though it's a depiction of something architectural and quite solid. The gentle palette, particularly the pastels, give it an almost dreamlike quality. Curator: Indeed. Jewett’s masterful use of watercolour, applied in delicate washes, creates subtle tonal variations, particularly in the shadows and highlights. Notice how the geometric precision of the bracket's structure is slightly softened by the blurring of edges. It has a strange dual nature, almost cubist in concept. Editor: The choice of a wall bracket as a subject also piques my interest. These supports often bore symbolic weight within religious spaces, didn’t they? Supporting statues of saints or perhaps holding candles that represented divine light? I wonder what that specific green might suggest in a liturgical setting? Curator: Precisely. Green is an especially interesting point. He employs the same saturation of green atop the shelf as is reflected below in the decorative carvings, visually unifying this piece, lending an immediate sense of grounding and purpose to its structural framework. Editor: So the intentional placement draws us to its structural essence, while the light coloration and watercolor wash, serve almost as a historical document, evoking the passage of time and the patina of age, making the icon timeless. Curator: Exactly. Jewett's strategic placement allows us to study form and symbol, with an understanding of structure and purpose, within this drawing. The precision almost gives a ghostly essence. Editor: A fascinating dance between form and spirit, echoing the very essence of faith and construction. Curator: Yes. A delicate study, a fine demonstration. Editor: It certainly lingers in the mind, doesn't it? A subtle, yet evocative statement.