Weather Vane Finial c. 1938

This drawing of a weather vane finial was made by Nicholas Acampora, likely as a study for his metalwork. What I see here is a process of building form, kind of like sculpting with washes of color. There's a real sensitivity in the way the brown ink or paint is layered to give shape to the horse, with the darker tones creating shadows and the lighter areas suggesting highlights. Look at how the artist captures the musculature and dynamism of the animal with such economy of means! It feels like the artist has really gotten to know the subject. That dark splodge at the top is interesting; maybe it's a test of the ink, or just a doodle. To me, the image looks like a conversation between folk art and something more studied, like the work of Franz Marc, who also painted animals with a similar love for line and form. It's all about an ongoing exchange of ideas, isn't it?