Cap c. 1937

Roberta Spicer made this drawing of a cap, we don't know exactly when, but she lived a long life, from 1855 to 1995. Look closely, can you see the delicate white lines against the grey? I can imagine Spicer carefully building up the image of the cap, one line at a time, thinking about lace and fabric. It is not just a simple rendering, but an investigation of form. I wonder, what was she thinking as she made each mark? Was she interested in the cap itself, or was the cap a starting point for a study in line and form? The ghostly profile and the smaller sketch alongside the larger cap suggest the act of looking closely and trying out different views. Maybe she was interested in the way light filters through the delicate lace. Artists are always talking to one another across time, aren't they? It makes you wonder about all the conversations happening, quietly and invisibly.