Jamb Stove c. 1938

Roy Weber, born in 1855, made this drawing of a Jamb Stove with graphite and watercolor. It is so cool to see the subtle shifts in tone and the way Weber allows the texture of the paper to show through, lending the work a sense of being both precise and ethereal. I can almost feel Weber hovering over the paper, his brow furrowed in concentration as he renders each line and shadow. What’s so evocative for me is how the muted palette emphasizes the subject's historical character. The drawing feels both old and new, doesn't it? You know, I think Weber was really riffing on the rich history of illustration. It's as if he's trying to find the story inside the object, letting the stove whisper its secrets. I love how artists can take something so ordinary and turn it into a portal.