Iron Gate and Fence c. 1936

Arelia Arbo made this monochromatic watercolor drawing of an iron gate and fence sometime in the twentieth century. Just look at the way she used shades of grey to create volume and depth, almost like she was sculpting with water and pigment. The drawing is so precise, yet there is an airy, dreamlike quality to the washes. Take a look at the details in the ironwork; each curl and flourish is rendered with such care and precision, giving the heavy metal a sense of lightness. Notice how the pigment pools and settles, suggesting not just the form of the iron, but also the play of light across its surface. The whole image has a ghost-like quality. Arbo’s drawing style makes me think of other artists who have meticulously documented found objects, like some of the early Surrealists. They too found the beauty in the everyday. But where those artists dove into the absurd, Arbo kept her feet on the ground, finding wonder in the tangible. This piece is an invitation to slow down and appreciate the beauty of the mundane world.