Rifle c. 1937

LeRoy Robinson made this drawing of a rifle, using watercolor and graphite. It is a very direct, descriptive image. The artist's chosen materials—paper, graphite, and watercolor—are themselves relatively humble and accessible. The paper support lends a tactile quality, and the graphite and watercolor, applied with delicate precision, allow the grain of the wooden stock to show through. The artist doesn’t disguise the qualities of these materials. The subtle variations in tone, the way the watercolor pools and dries, the delicate rendering of the different components, all attest to the artist's skill. While the rifle itself is an object of industry and utility, Robinson's rendering transforms it into something more contemplative. It invites us to consider how humble materials and thoughtful making can imbue an everyday object with significance, challenging traditional notions of what constitutes art.