Weather Vane c. 1938

This rendering of a weather vane, depicting a rooster, was made by Victor Muollo. It gives us a sense of folk art and practical design melding together. The object is rendered with an earthy palette and textured surfaces, like a memory of the real thing. The rooster form is cut from a flat, light brown plane, with areas of darker brown that could be rust. The red splotches disrupt the metal uniformity. I love how Muollo captures the rooster's strut, a real puffed-up chest! There’s a beautiful tension between the sharp lines of the rooster's comb and beak and the softer, almost furry texture of its tail feathers. It’s like Muollo wants us to feel the rooster's presence, not just see it. You know, this reminds me of some of the work of Elie Nadelman, who also played with simplified forms and a kind of folksy sensibility. Art's a conversation, right? It’s about what we bring to it, and what it stirs up in us.