Comb 1935 - 1942

Sylvia Dezon created this drawing of a comb with, it looks like, watercolor on paper. I love how the simple subject matter gets elevated through the delicacy of the technique. The linear precision used to render the comb’s teeth is interesting: each line is carefully placed, suggesting a kind of meditative process. The upper portion, decorated with ornate designs, is looser and more expressive. Look at how Dezon uses subtle variations in tone and shade to give the comb depth and texture. The color palette is restrained—earthy browns and creams—which adds to the work’s understated elegance. It reminds me a little of Agnes Martin's work. Not stylistically, but in the sense of taking something commonplace and turning it into an object of quiet contemplation. It embraces ambiguity, inviting you to find your own meaning in its delicate details.