Wedding Dress c. 1937

Linnet Alward made this beautiful drawing of a wedding dress on paper, but when, we don't know. What a thing, a ghost of a dress, a memory of a dress, rendered in delicate strokes and gentle washes. I love how the subtle gradations of tone bring out the texture of the lace, you can almost feel the delicate pattern against your skin. It reminds me of Agnes Martin’s grids, but softer, more romantic. Look at the way the fabric gathers at the sleeves, almost like clouds, or puffs of cotton. The lines are so light, so tentative, that the whole image seems to float on the page. It’s not just a dress, it’s an idea of a dress, a dream of a dress. It makes you wonder about the wearer, the occasion, the story behind the image, but like all the best art, it leaves you with more questions than answers.