Cab or Cabriole c. 1936

Fred Weiss made this drawing of a cab, or cabriole, sometime between 1855 and 1995. Imagine him, pencil in hand, meticulously rendering each spoke of the wheels, each line of the carriage. I love the almost ghostly quality, how the cab seems to hover just above the ground, its shadow a mere suggestion. The tonal range is so subtle, almost monochromatic, yet it’s enough to give the object form. I wonder what Weiss was thinking as he made this? Was he interested in capturing the elegance of the vehicle, or perhaps exploring the play of light and shadow? Was he thinking of Manet, or other artists who used subtle tonal shifts to create something ethereal? Artists are always in conversation with one another. Weiss has made something beautiful out of something functional, inviting us to see the ordinary in a new light.