Brass Andirons c. 1938

Robert Clark made this drawing of brass andirons, we don't know when, and he used watercolour. The colour palette is minimal, but the touch is descriptive, careful and precise. It's like he is trying to capture the very essence of 'brassness.' I’m drawn to the way the light seems to bounce off the surfaces. The paint is applied in thin, transparent layers, allowing the white of the paper to glow through, creating a sense of luminosity. Look closely at the curved legs, and you can almost feel the cool, smooth texture of the metal. See how the shadows are rendered with subtle gradations of tone, giving a sense of depth and volume? It's all in the details, and Clark seems to revel in the challenge of capturing the play of light and shadow on this everyday object. There is a touch of Joseph Stella in the way he imbues these humble objects with such reverence. I love that it is ambiguous.