Morning Glory c. 1892

Elihu Vedder created "Morning Glory" with colored chalk and pencil on paper. Vedder’s choice of these drawing materials lends itself to the softness and intimacy of the work. Looking closely, you can see the textured grain of the paper coming through the pastel. This adds a tactile depth to the work that is hard to ignore. The soft earthy tones are heightened with small areas of pink and blue chalk, drawing the viewer's attention to the model’s flesh. The way Vedder has blended his materials brings out the gentle form of the woman, who is pulling a huge sheet of draped material around her. This can be seen as Vedder celebrating the female form, but also shows the labor involved in managing such a large amount of fabric. Ultimately, it is through understanding the process and materials that we come to appreciate how Vedder uses his craft to explore themes of beauty, labor, and the relationship between the human form and the material world.