Minnie Maddern Fiske 1929

Ralph Barton made this drawing of Minnie Maddern Fiske, we don’t know when, but he probably used ink and crayon. I love how he’s building an image through the layering of tones. You get the feeling that he's figuring out the image as he goes. It’s the kind of drawing where the process is evident, not obscured. It feels like it could fall apart at any moment, with those spindly lines and slightly wonky perspective, but it holds together beautifully. Look at the way he uses crayon to create areas of tone and shadow, rubbing it into the paper to make it almost disappear, then layering it to create depth. It’s these kinds of details that make the piece sing. Barton's playful approach reminds me a little of Red Grooms. They both have this way of making art feel accessible. It’s a reminder that art isn't about perfection but embracing the unexpected.