Comb 1935 - 1942

Sylvia Dezon made this 'Comb', likely on paper, with watercolor or gouache – you can see the thin washes of brown and the way they pool a little at the edges of the design. I can imagine Sylvia hunched over the comb with a fine brush. Layering the design, getting lost in the swirls and flourishes of the comb's decoration. It’s not just copying; she’s figuring out the comb’s essence through the act of painting it. I mean, think about it: the material of the paint itself, how it mimics the sheen and shadows of the comb. Look at the teeth, so sharply rendered and repetitive, they could be read as brushstrokes in themselves. It's like she's teasing out the object's potential, turning it into something more than just a thing to put in your hair. And then there’s the blank space around it. That’s key too. It allows the comb to hover, suspended in this weird, quiet contemplation. It's a bit like Morandi's bottles, or even some of the early Pop artists, who saw the beauty in everyday objects. Sylvia is saying, ‘Hey, look at this. Really look.’