Carved Keystone c. 1939

Richard Barnett drew this Carved Keystone sometime in the 20th century. The whole image is rendered in monochrome, with delicate, almost ghostly marks. It feels like he was trying to capture not just the look of the carving, but maybe its weight, and the feeling of its textures too. Look closely, and you'll see how the shading gives a real sense of the stone’s rough surface. The dense cross-hatching in the background creates a kind of vibrating energy, a real contrast with the smoother, more defined shape of the bird. Notice how the feathers are meticulously drawn, each line describing its form. It’s like Barnett wanted to understand the bird, not just depict it, through the very act of drawing. This focus on process reminds me a little of Albrecht Dürer, actually. They both share a real dedication to capturing every little detail, revealing their deep respect for the subject. But where Dürer's work feels kind of fixed and certain, there's something really vulnerable and uncertain in Barnett's touch. Ultimately, I think Barnett reminds us that there's no single way to see things; it's always about the journey.