Parian Ware Tie Back c. 1938

Richard Barnett made this drawing of a Parian Ware Tie Back with pencil and watercolour on paper. Look how the cool blues and creams sit on the warm ground of the page. The drawing has a real sense of depth, despite the flat surface. It’s so precise, almost like an architect's rendering. I love how the simple pin at the bottom anchors the more decorative floral shape at the top. It’s a really functional little object elevated by the artist’s hand. You can see the marks of the watercolour brush in the petals, and the delicate rendering of the central boss. It reminds me a little of the work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, maybe because of the way he combines decoration with geometric form. But Barnett has a real eye for detail, taking something ordinary and making it extraordinary. It makes you think about how we see, and what we value.