Purse 1935 - 1942

Editor: Here we have Eleanor Alexander’s "Purse," a watercolor and coloured pencil drawing on paper created sometime between 1935 and 1942. I'm struck by how delicately the textures are rendered. What do you see in this piece, looking at it from your perspective? Curator: The most compelling aspect of this drawing is its engagement with the interplay of form and surface. Notice how the artist meticulously captures the tactile qualities of the fabrics. The juxtaposition of the smooth pink lining with the intricately patterned floral embroidery presents a captivating textural contrast. We can analyse the semiotic relationships, discerning meaning from the visual vocabulary presented, looking at the color and pattern. Editor: That's interesting. I hadn't considered the textural contrasts so deliberately. Curator: Observe how the coloured pencil work defines the embroidered area, adding another layer of complexity. Consider the compositional choices—how the artist uses line and color to guide the viewer's eye and how they build a sense of volume on a flat plane. Can you see it? Editor: I do. The shadowing creates depth, and now that you mention it, the composition does feel very deliberate. So, without relying on the object itself, or its intended purpose, we can find richness by analyzing its intrinsic visual elements. Thank you. Curator: Indeed. It underscores the potential of drawing as a means of dissecting visual components such as line, shape, and the formal tension created between areas of colour, and this unlocks further meaning within the representation.