Weather Vane c. 1936

Elmer G. Anderson created this rendering of a weather vane, using graphite and watercolor. The somber palette and simplified forms contribute to a visual experience of stillness. The artwork's composition is defined by a central figure of a deer in profile, rendered as a silhouette. Anderson destabilizes the conventional values of representation through his choice of form. The use of silhouette flattens the three-dimensional form into a two-dimensional shape, inviting us to consider the essence of the object rather than its superficial details. The reductive approach challenges our perception, transforming a functional object into a semiotic device. The shape and the outline are what remain, emphasizing not just the function of indicating wind direction, but more profoundly the act of observing, measuring, and marking the passage of time. The inscription, '1/6 actual size', further reinforces the semiotic dimension, drawing attention to the act of representation.