Small Carved Bellamy Eagle c. 1939

Harriette Gale made this ‘Small Carved Bellamy Eagle’ with what seems like pencil or ink and watercolor. Look closely and you’ll see a carving, maybe for the decoration of a ship, rendered with great care. It’s fascinating how Gale translated three dimensions into two. There is an intimacy in the marks, from the tiny lines hatching to give a sense of volume to the eagle’s body, to the detailed work on the wings. The lines are so delicate and precise, creating a kind of map of the carving. Note the way the colors shift from light browns to soft grays. The overall effect is soft and strangely tender. Look at the head. The beak is open as if the bird is calling out, or maybe just yawning. Gale’s treatment of the carving reminds me of the work of artists like Joseph Cornell, who found beauty in the everyday and the overlooked. Both artists share an attention to detail and a reverence for the handmade. Art is so often about seeing what is already there, but with new eyes.