Grandfather's Clock 1936

Geoffrey Holt made this watercolour painting of a Grandfather’s Clock and its inner workings, on paper. I love the flat perspective, the colour and gentle rendering of the wood. When I look at the painting, I imagine him standing there, trying to see past the object, trying to reduce its volume down to its constituent parts. I wonder if he had a particular clock in mind, or whether it was simply a way for him to explore line, form, and the different textures and tones of timber. I find myself really drawn to the hinge details, like little arrows darting across the surface. The delicate gold accents also catch my eye. These careful considerations remind me of the work of other draughtsmen, obsessed with the beauty of the mechanical, like Albrecht Dürer or Leonardo da Vinci. Paintings like this remind me that we are always in conversation with those who have come before. Artists are constantly inspired by each other, building on the ideas and techniques of previous generations. What a pleasure to be a part of that lineage.