Figurehead 1935 - 1942

This watercolor of a ship's figurehead captures the essence of form meeting function, tradition meeting the unpredictable waves. I think of the anonymous artist, carefully building up the tones on the wooden sculpture, trying to capture the essence of her expression. What was she thinking when she made it? Maybe they were pondering the dreams and fears of sailors embarking on uncertain voyages. The brushstrokes, they're so economical, so sure of themselves. Look at the way they define the planes of her face and the folds of her shawl. There's a lovely tension between the crispness of the lines and the softness of the watercolor washes, a push-pull that mirrors the experience of being at sea. We can see here how one artist engages with an object made by another, and how they respond to and transform our understanding of it. It reminds me that art is always a conversation, across time and medium, each voice adding something new to the chorus.