Child's Boot c. 1937

Earl Butlin made this Child's Boot on paper, and the material looks like pencil, or maybe conté crayon. The mark-making is so tender, such a sweet rendering of a worn-out thing. You can see all the little scuffs and wear marks. What's really grabbing me is the surface, it looks like he's using these dry materials almost like watercolor. The tone is built up in layers to create depth and volume. Like the top of the boot, it's a bit scuffed. I wonder if this was a memento? Like a portrait of a lost object? It reminds me a little bit of Joseph Yoakum, who also has this amazing ability to conjure up a sense of place. It’s something to get lost in, for sure.