Cast Ornament c. 1941

This 'Cast Ornament' was made with graphite on paper by Henry Zwysen, who lived between 1855 and 1995. Imagine Zwysen, focused and precise, building up this drawing from the faintest lines to a complex, baroque fantasy. This is not just about representation; it's about transformation. Each scroll and flourish feels considered, like the artist is slowly coaxing form out of chaos. The graphite is so fine, it almost breathes. Look at the figure in the center, some kind of winged cupid, caught mid-flight, it seems weighed down with care. The flowers at the top are overflowing, maybe a sign of abundance, or perhaps a hint of something wilder? I think about artists like Piranesi, etching imaginary architectures, each line building a world. This drawing feels part of that same lineage, inviting us to lose ourselves in the details and wander through Zwysen’s imagination.