Man's Shoulder Pouch 1935 - 1942

Melita Hofmann drew this “Man’s Shoulder Pouch” with graphite and colored pencil. The colored pencils are densely packed in places, yet still allow the ground to peek through, like an early Agnes Martin, or a Cy Twombly in miniature! There’s a real emphasis on the surface, as though the texture of the paper is as important as the image itself. It feels so immediate, and really shows the process of Hofmann’s hand at work. The pouch itself, hanging there in the middle of the page, is so carefully rendered; each individual tassel is lovingly and painstakingly depicted! I particularly like the contrasting textures and colors; the graphite outline makes the colors pop and creates a sort of graphic tension. In its obsessive detail, and the emphasis on surface and mark-making, this piece reminds me a little of Ree Morton, though Morton worked on a much larger scale! Either way, it's a reminder that there’s always more than one way to see and experience any work of art.