Crock c. 1941

John Tarantino made this line drawing of a crock, date unknown, and what jumps out at me is how its simplicity manages to convey so much. There’s something very direct about the lines he uses, not fussy, but really confident and clear. The image has been carefully planned, and the drawing shows how lines can be both descriptive and abstract: the lines indicating shadow and depth transform the bird and foliage into shapes and patterns that mimic the form of the crock itself, so that they are both separate and unified. Look at the detail in the bird's tail. Each line contributes to a sense of depth, but the density also makes it feel weighty, anchoring the bird to its perch. It reminds me a little of Picasso’s line drawings, the way he could create a sense of form with just a few strokes. There is definitely a conversation here about how much information is enough, and how artists, across time, solve similar problems.