Brooch c. 1936

Marie Mitchell made this drawing of a Brooch with pencil and watercolour on paper. The gentle application of colour creates a soft, almost faded quality, lending it a timeless feel. It’s like looking at something precious that has been carefully preserved. There is a delicacy in the way Mitchell renders the brooch, each line is precise. The detailing is so exact, from the floral motifs to the minute structures of the fastener sketches underneath the main image. In the coloured rendering, golden hues intermingle with subtle green and red accents, creating a sense of depth. It's as if you could reach out and touch the smooth, polished surface of the jewellery. This drawing reminds me a bit of the work of Hilma af Klint, in that both artists are exploring the rendering of subtle form and design. And like Klint, Mitchell understands how the material can express the ephemeral. What could be more exciting than that?