The Bundle of Sticks 1908

Walter Crane made this image called "The Bundle of Sticks" and I love how he uses line. It's not trying to trick you into thinking something is real; instead, the marks describe the scene. The colour is applied with a similar lightness of touch, as though everything is part of the same, slightly unreal world. The artist uses a limited palette; oranges, blacks and pinks and the lines of colour add to the mood of the piece; they show figures straining and the texture of the bark of the trees. Look at the hand of the father figure in the centre, the way his knuckles are described as simple circles. It's not precise, but it tells you everything you need to know, both about this character, and about the moral of the story. Crane reminds me a little of Aubrey Beardsley, but without the decadence, and it is a reminder that art can be about clear communication as much as personal expression.