Trousers c. 1937

Henry De Wolfe made this drawing of ‘Trousers’ using graphite and watercolor on paper. He starts with a pale ground and then builds these forms very delicately. Look at the way he renders the material! It’s a beautiful illustration, but there’s something more going on. It’s not just a literal depiction, it’s also a study of tone and shape. The spare line drawing to the right of the main figure of the trousers, allows us to consider the garment almost as an architectural form. There’s an interest in geometry, too, that reminds me of Agnes Martin’s grids. But whereas Martin’s project was one of sublime restraint, here we have something more playful, a kind of subtle humor, a suggestion that the everyday can be something to celebrate.