Wall Painting and Niche: Restoration Drawing c. 1939

George E. Rhone made this restoration drawing of a wall painting and niche sometime in the 20th century. The colors are muted, the mark making is tentative, a process of feeling and searching. Look at the way the arch is constructed above the niche, those repeated triangles, like teeth or crenellations. I think it is so interesting the way these architectural forms are rendered through color and texture. The materiality of the paint and pencil gives the drawing a sort of haptic quality, like you could touch it and feel the slight variations in the surface. It’s like the artist is feeling the space, reconstructing it not just visually, but also through touch and memory. This piece makes me think of Agnes Martin. Like her, Rhone seems to be interested in the subtle power of simple forms and understated gestures. Both artists show us that sometimes, the most profound statements are made in a whisper.