Slipper 1935 - 1942

Melita Hofmann made this drawing of a slipper, we don’t know when, and with what, but maybe with coloured pencils. The purple tones are very appealing, it's a colour often associated with royalty and the delicacy of the slipper brings a precious feel to the artwork, like an object under close examination. The artist has created an intimate view of the slipper, and it’s not just about the slipper itself but about the process of looking, observing the textures and folds in the fabric. I like the way it has been drawn on a small piece of paper, and the very faint outline of the slipper’s sole above, giving an insight into the working methods. The lines of the slipper’s ribbons are really intriguing. The sketchiness makes it appear as though it is moving, but at the same time, still static on the page. It reminds me of the futurist artist Umberto Boccioni. He was very interested in depicting motion, and Hofmann seems to be thinking along similar lines, but more subtly. It is this ambiguity which gives the piece its charm.