Iron Fence - Sea Horse Design c. 1936

Carl Hobby made this design for an iron fence with watercolor and graphite on paper. I wonder if the artist began with graphite to sketch out the initial forms and contours of the seahorse motif? Then layering washes of watercolor to gradually build up the tones and textures, and finally, adding delicate details to bring the design to life? These seahorses have an extraordinary mix of delicacy and grandeur. I can imagine Hobby meticulously applying thin glazes of pigment, allowing each layer to dry before adding the next, to achieve the luminous quality. I want to follow the curves of the shell, the texture of the skin... This drawing is connected to a whole world of decorative architectural design, where nature is transformed into ornament, through the hand of the artist.