Tracing of a Border Design 1890 - 1897

Charles Sprague Pearce made this tracing of a border design from graphite and purple pencil on paper at an unknown date. Pearce was an American artist who spent much of his career in France. Seen here is a partial, preliminary design that seems to be informed by the aesthetics of the Arts and Crafts movement. A double sprig of mistletoe appears in the center of the composition. Note the unfinished quality of this drawing, particularly the grid pattern and the different border patterns sketched in purple pencil. The mistletoe plant is of particular importance here because it is associated with the pre-Christian winter solstice celebrations of Northern Europe. It was later incorporated as a decorative element into Christian Christmas celebrations. We know that this drawing was made in France because it is inscribed ‘In Pearce, Auvers sur Oise’. The town of Auvers sur Oise was an artist colony in the late 19th century. You can use institutional resources such as letters, exhibition reviews, and historical society records to find out more about the social context of the artwork. Looking into this will help you understand the meaning of the artwork better.