Pa. German Dower Chest c. 1936

This drawing of a Pa. German Dower Chest was made by Lorenz Rothkranz, who lived from 1855 to 1995. It looks like he worked methodically in colored pencil, teasing out every detail. You can tell that he wanted to record what he saw, but like all of us, he had to make choices about what to include. Look closely at the marbling effect that Rothkranz created using the horizontal lines on the green sections of the chest, it has a similar effect to pointillism. The drawer handles are also wonderful, they are reduced down to simple scribbles. The star on the right side is less about precision and more about capturing the overall effect. Rothkranz’s drawing is a reminder that every artwork is a translation, a personal take on the world. Like with Bill Traylor, Rothkranz's image-making process isn't about perfection; it's about engagement, an ongoing conversation with materials and ideas.