Taniscot Engine House Sign 1935 - 1942

Curry Bartlett made this rendering of a Taniscot Engine House Sign, in a muted palette of golds and greys, using graphite and watercolor, sometime in the mid-20th century. It has this quality of having been carefully observed, but also lovingly rendered. Like it was important to Bartlett. I particularly appreciate the way Bartlett used the materials to create a sense of depth. The graphite gives a solid foundation, but the watercolor adds a translucent layer that gives the image a kind of glow. Look at the way the light hits the rounded forms of the helmet, the pump, and the bucket, and how the gold color catches on the objects, and almost makes them glow. It's a really beautiful effect and gives a feeling of warmth. This piece reminds me a bit of the work of Joseph Stella, who also had this way of imbuing industrial objects with a kind of romantic grandeur. Like Stella, Bartlett helps us find the beauty in the everyday, and reminds us that art can be found in the most unexpected places.