Marble Ornament (from top of mantelpiece) c. 1937

Manuel G. Runyan made this drawing of a marble ornament with pencil and watercolor. I can imagine Runyan carefully observing the play of light on the surface of this mantelpiece ornament, trying to capture its three-dimensional form on paper. It’s all about subtle gradations of tone, isn’t it? Like the soft, muted palette of creams and browns that create a sense of depth and volume. You know, when I look at this ornament, I think about the long history of decorative arts and how artists and craftspeople have always been inspired by the forms and motifs of the past. Runyan is continuing the conversation with this image. It makes you wonder, doesn’t it? How artists are in an ongoing conversation with each other across time. Thinking and responding, always inspiring each other’s creativity, isn't that just the best?