Branding Iron c. 1942

Elizabeth Johnson made this study of a Branding Iron, we don't know when, with what looks like watercolor on paper. It’s a very direct image of a metal tool, and there is a second version of the brand depicted underneath. I am so interested in the different ways of seeing the world that art helps us construct. Look at the color: it's mostly browns, ochres, and tans, but the artist varies the tone so that there are warmer and cooler hues. This gives the metal a sense of dimensionality. The handle extends out from the iron, casting a faint shadow on the paper. It’s such a straightforward way of showing the depth and form of a real object. Painting, like branding, is a way of making your mark on the world. This piece reminds me a little of Jasper Johns's paintings of everyday objects, but Johnson's is more straightforward, less ironic. Art is always about exchange and conversation across time, and ambiguity is always welcome.