Grandfather's Clock 1936

Geoffrey Holt made this 'Grandfather's Clock' drawing with what looks like watercolor or maybe gouache, and there is a real interest in the surface, the making of the clock itself as a kind of process. There's a lot of transparency here, a layering of thin washes to build up the wood grain. The way Holt uses the gold detailing feels almost like a secret language. It highlights the connection points, the hinges, and the finials, making them pop against the muted browns. Notice the wood grain effect which flows through both parts of the clock, tying them together in a dance of natural forms. It reminds me a bit of some of Charles Demuth's architectural drawings. But where Demuth is all about precision, Holt seems more interested in the character, the spirit of the thing. It is like Holt is less interested in accuracy and more in capturing a feeling, maybe even a memory. Art is so often a kind of conversation, a back-and-forth across time.