Hat Mannequin c. 1937

Howard Weld made this watercolour and graphite drawing, Hat Mannequin, sometime in the 20th century. It’s so fascinating, isn't it? You can see the hand of the artist so clearly in the confident outlines and washes of colour. There’s something deeply satisfying about the process here; the way the transparent washes of green and pink and brown sit on the paper. Everything is so clear, flat and delineated, like a vintage fashion plate. But at the same time, it has a sculptural, even monumental quality. Look at the way Weld has used the graphite to create a sense of texture in the hat, almost like it’s been woven from straw. It reminds me of how Guston used cross hatching in his later work. I love how Weld has embraced both clarity and ambiguity. This piece is an invitation, I think, to bring our own experiences and imaginations to the act of seeing.