Figures n.d.

This marbling, likely adorning a sketchbook from the 19th century by Charles George Lewis, reveals more than mere decoration. Notice the chaotic, vein-like lines running across the surface. These patterns, reminiscent of tree branches or perhaps even blood vessels, evoke a sense of the organic. Consider how similar motifs appear in ancient cartography, where unexplored territories were often illustrated with monstrous figures and meandering lines, symbolizing the unknown. We see the same in the swirling patterns of Renaissance-era depictions of hell, embodying chaos and the loss of control. The marbling technique, with its unpredictable nature, embodies this tension between order and disorder, resonating with our deepest fears and curiosities about the world. It touches on a primal, subconscious level, engaging our anxieties and wonder. These motifs don't simply disappear; they resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings in different historical contexts.