Brass Andirons c. 1938

Robert Clark made this drawing of brass andirons sometime in the 20th century. Look at the way he's built up the andirons, layer by layer, stroke by stroke, starting with a tentative outline on the lower left-hand side. I can almost feel the artist making decisions, adjusting lines, until he's satisfied with the result. I wonder, what did Clark think about, while painting this? Did he think about painting them on a cold, long evening? Or perhaps, about other artists doing the same thing? Either way, you can sense the texture of brass, the reflections of light, even the weight of it, through the application of colour. See how he's used delicate brushstrokes to create the illusion of three-dimensionality and metallic sheen? Clark is in conversation with artists throughout time, using painting to capture and convey something essential about the world around him. Each mark is a gesture, a way of seeing, thinking, and feeling.