Chintz 1935 - 1942

Raymond Manupelli made this piece called "Chintz" with ink and graphite, though the precise date remains unknown. Looking at it, I get a sense of someone who loves to draw, to really describe the world. The mark-making is patient, like a kind of loving cataloguing. The artist meticulously delineates the eagle's feathers, each petal of the surrounding flowers, and the decorative fringe. You can almost feel the artist's hand moving across the page, carefully building up each form. I'm really drawn to the way Manupelli uses line to create texture, it's so precise. The surface is flat but dense with detail. It reminds me a little of Dürer’s engravings, that same love of detail. Both artists share a similar, dedicated approach to describing the natural world and an interest in artmaking as an act of devotion. Manupelli's piece is an invitation to slow down, to look closely, and to appreciate the quiet beauty of the everyday.