Cattle Brand c. 1936

J. Henry Marley made this drawing of a cattle brand sometime in the 20th century, probably with ink on paper. You can see the crisp lines and the way they confidently form the conjoined letters. It reminds me of Cy Twombly and his love of script and handwriting. I wonder what Marley was thinking as he drew this? Was it a study for an actual branding iron? Or maybe he was just riffing, letting the lines lead him where they would? I can imagine him, the pen in his hand, feeling the pressure of the tip against the page. The stark black ink against the white background gives it such a graphic punch. It’s like a logo, a symbol of ownership and identity. And yet, it’s also just a beautiful abstract composition. It shows how something functional can also be so visually striking. Artists borrow from everything. It is a continual conversation. And now, we are joining the discussion.