Embroidered Undersleeve 1938

Douglas Cox created this drawing of an embroidered undersleeve with graphite on paper. It's a delicate and precise rendering. You know, I always wonder about the quiet focus of the artist, carefully observing each stitch and curve. What was Cox thinking as he translated this textile into lines on paper? Was it an act of preservation, of honoring the craft? I can imagine the artist gently touching the fabric, feeling its texture, before beginning to draw. The even weave of the sleeve, the way the embroidered flowers bunch and scatter—it all feels so considered. Looking at this, I think of artists like Agnes Martin, with her subtle, repetitive marks. Both explore a kind of meditative process through their work. There’s a quiet beauty in that dedication, a conversation across time about seeing and feeling.