Dressing Mirror c. 1938

Frank Wenger made this drawing of a dressing mirror, and I can't help but wonder what he was thinking about while he was rendering each line. The color is really understated, mostly brown, but it’s the sort of brown that feels warm, like old wood, like a memory. The drawing is so precise, you can almost feel the texture of the wood. Look closely at the curves of the mirror frame and the way Wenger has rendered the light hitting the surface. There's a real tenderness and attention to detail, as if he were handling the object itself. The lines are so clean and certain. It's a reminder that even the most ordinary objects can become extraordinary when seen through the eyes of an artist. I’m reminded of the work of Charles Sheeler, who had a similar eye for finding the extraordinary in everyday objects. Ultimately, it’s not just a drawing of a mirror, but a reflection on seeing, remembering, and transforming the world around us.