Dress c. 1936

Herbert Marsh made this drawing of a dress, we don't know when, and with pencil and watercolor. It's not trying to be photorealistic, but there's a real love of process in the way that Marsh captures the textiles. What I notice first is the combination of the horizontal and vertical stripes, there’s a definite sense of rhythm, like a musical composition. I want to imagine the dressmaker’s thoughts, their playfulness with geometry, and the implied movement of the wearer. The delicate watercolor work gives depth to the fabric, the stripes almost seem to breathe. The little sketch of the back of the dress to the right is like a whisper, an echo of the main form. This piece reminds me a little of the work of contemporary artist Christina Forrer, in the way that it blends a folk aesthetic with a sophisticated sense of color and composition. It's a reminder that art is always a conversation, across time and traditions. It's never really about answers, but about asking new questions.