Weather Vane - Scroll with Index c. 1938

Helen Hobart made this drawing of a Weather Vane with Scroll and Index, but we don't know when or with what, exactly. There is a gentle, almost classical simplicity to the composition, and the flat rendering gives it a kind of heraldic feel. I am drawn to the hand pointing in one direction and the fleur-de-lis shape at the other end of the vane, like a symbolic equipoise between labour and nobility. The drawing is a study in careful shading, with the graphite applied in layers to build up a sense of depth and texture. Look at the circular motif just behind the hand; there’s a subtle blurring of the edges, achieved by gently rubbing the graphite, that gives the metal a weathered look. For me, this piece sits nicely in the lineage of American artists like Charles Sheeler or Walker Evans, who elevated the vernacular and the industrial to the realm of high art. It reminds us that beauty and meaning can be found in the most unexpected places.