Cottage at Littleton for B.M. Chamber Esq. 1911

Charles Edward Mallows made "Cottage at Littleton for B.M. Chamber Esq." using pen and ink with watercolor to render a sketch. Look at this drawing, it’s like a little architectural daydream made of delicate lines and soft washes, quite different than the gestural brushstrokes I love to fling around! I can just picture Mallows hunched over his desk, meticulously drafting each elevation and floor plan. He was probably thinking about bringing some kind of cozy, English countryside fantasy to life for B.M. Chamber. The colors are muted—mostly earthy browns, creams, and hints of green—giving it a nostalgic feel, like a faded photograph. The lines are so precise, yet there's a certain lightness, almost like he's sketching a memory. It reminds me a little of the Arts and Crafts movement. These architectural renderings are little artworks in themselves! We are always inspired by those that came before us and contribute to this never-ending conversation of art through time.