Carved Wooden Crucifix c. 1939

Vera Van Voris made this drawing of a carved wooden crucifix, and it's a study in contrasts. The cross itself is rendered in solid browns with clear, distinct lines, but the figure of Christ? That's where things get interesting. There's a certain vulnerability in how Van Voris approaches the body. The flesh is almost translucent, a sickly green, with delicate strokes suggesting both form and fragility. Notice the area around the wound – it's not just a hole, but a raw, almost floral burst of red against the muted tones of the skin. This mark seems to hold all the pain and humanity of the scene. It reminds me a little of Otto Dix, actually, in its unflinching portrayal of the human condition. But where Dix is brutal, Van Voris is tender, seeking to capture the essence of suffering through a quiet, almost reverent observation. Art is like that, isn't it? An ongoing conversation where artists borrow, respond, and reimagine the world around them.