Bridge Worker No. 4 1935

Arthur George Murphy made this drawing, Bridge Worker No. 4, with graphite on paper. It’s all in grayscale, and the marks are applied in tight, swirling masses that follow the curves of the figure. I can imagine Murphy hunched over this drawing, carefully building up the tones with his pencil, feeling his way through the shapes, and trying to capture the weight and strength of the worker. I wonder if he knew any bridge workers? I like to think he did and that this drawing is, in part, a love letter to them. The cross-hatching creates a sense of volume and depth, making the worker appear almost sculptural. The composition leads my eye around the form, pausing on the taut back muscles and the powerful arms. The light seems to emanate from within, highlighting the curves and contours of the body. It reminds me of the drawings of Lucien Freud or even some of the WPA-era artists who were documenting American workers during the Depression. Artists like Murphy, who was active in the New South Wales region of Australia, show us what they see, and in turn, we see them. We see each other.