Figurehead from "Indian Princess" c. 1937

Elizabeth Moutal made this painted figurehead from "Indian Princess" sometime in the 20th century using watercolor and graphite on paper. It’s a delicate rendering, all soft grays and blues. I can imagine her, Moutal, in her studio, hunched over this drawing, carefully building up the figure, layer by layer. The statue emerges in subtle gradations, with graphite defining the contours, with the suggestion of light and shadow playing across the figure’s draped form. The background almost feels like a hazy sky, or perhaps the deep sea surrounding the ship. There is a sense of longing and upward gaze, and I am reminded of all the figureheads across art history. It makes you wonder, doesn’t it? How artists, even across centuries, are in conversation with one another, borrowing, responding, and reimagining. It’s never just one voice alone; it’s a whole chorus. Painting is not just about depicting the world, but about feeling it, and thinking through it.