Epaulet c. 1936

Erwin Schwabe made this drawing of an epaulet with colored pencil on paper. It’s all about mark-making – a kind of patient, repetitive process that reminds me of knitting or weaving. You can almost feel Schwabe’s hand moving back and forth, building up these delicate layers of color. Look at the way the vertical lines of the fringe create this shimmering effect, almost like light reflecting off water. The colors are muted, but there’s still a subtle vibrancy to them. There is something compelling in the precision of the rendering, like a devotional act. Schwabe seems to have taken an interest in the iconography of military attire, and you can see this in other works in the collection. It reminds me a little of the drawings of formal dress by Jim Nutt – there’s a similar attention to detail, but also a kind of quirky, off-kilter sensibility. Art’s a conversation, right? And this piece has a lot to say.