Burnt Plaque 1935 - 1942

Frank Maurer made this Burnt Plaque, we're not sure exactly when, using, well, a burning technique! It has this overall sepia feel, almost like an old photograph, but the details and the way the light plays makes it something else entirely. The surface looks like it’s been worked over and over. See how the radiating lines create a halo effect around the figure? The textures is a mix of smooth and rough, and the artist really worked the medium here. If you look closely at the figure, you can see the way the light catches the curves and folds. It's like Maurer is wrestling with the material. The way the figure is contorted reminds me of El Greco, but with a folk art twist. Ultimately, it’s this sense of the artist grappling with the material, pushing it to its limits, that makes this piece so compelling. Like a conversation across time, Maurer takes something classical and twists it into something all his own.