Fan c. 1936

Rosalia Lane made this drawing of a fan. There are two fan designs with different landscapes. I wonder what Lane was thinking as she drew these objects with graphite and watercolor on paper. I can almost picture her in her studio, experimenting with the different possibilities for the fan's ornamentation. The colors are subtle – muted greens, blush, pale peach, and a range of greys – giving it an elegant, almost antique feel. Lane’s marks are so delicate. Look at the landscape at the top of the image. The artist has depicted trees and mountains, with tiny marks that are incredibly detailed. Her application is so precise it's almost like she is breathing life into the objects with each stroke. I imagine her process involved a combination of careful planning and intuitive mark-making, building up layers to create depth and richness, and playing with light and shadow. It's clear that she had a love for art and the natural world.