Boy's Eton Jacket c. 1938

Francis Law Durand made this drawing of a boy's Eton jacket, it's hard to tell exactly when, but likely sometime in the early 20th century. The jacket is rendered in watercolor, which gives it a soft, almost dreamlike quality. Durand's marks are delicate and precise, building up the form with layers of thin color, that seems to me an act of care. I'm drawn to the way the light catches the fabric. Durand uses subtle gradations of color to suggest the plushness of the velvet. The ornamental details are picked out with careful lines, evoking a sense of old-world craftsmanship. It is a garment, suspended in time. I find myself thinking about the boy who might have worn this jacket, what his life was like, what he dreamed of becoming. It's like a portal into another era. It reminds me of the still life paintings of Giorgio Morandi, in the sense of using humble objects to convey a sense of quiet contemplation. Both artists invite us to slow down and appreciate the beauty in the everyday. Art is an ongoing conversation, about finding meaning in the world around us.