Eagle Figurehead 1935 - 1942

F.W. Powell made this ‘Eagle Figurehead’ with watercolor, gouache, and graphite. I can imagine Powell standing at his easel, wrestling with the challenge of capturing the eagle’s commanding presence. The colors are muted, almost earthy. It’s as though the artist is trying to ground the bird’s lofty symbolism. Look at how the wings fan out across the page, each feather carefully delineated, as if Powell wants to capture not just the look of an eagle, but its very essence. That beak! It’s open in mid-squawk, frozen in a perpetual cry. What’s it saying? Is it a call to arms, a declaration of freedom, or just a hungry bird yelling for its supper? Maybe all three. Artists like Powell are in conversation with the past and future, remixing symbols and feelings, trying to find new ways to express timeless ideas.