George Grey Barnard, born Bellefonte, - (Untitled) (Mansfield 1907) - ca. 1907 - T-Shirt

A winged figure rises inside an oval of grey wings while a green serpent coils upward around its body, all set above a stepped monument base flanked by flaming torches.

Visual Elements & Composition

The drawing is built on strict symmetry. A large arched oval forms the backdrop, and the figure sits at its centre with arms raised behind the head. A sage green serpent winds up through the composition, its head and tail spreading across a rectangular block that rests on a curved, stepped base. Four slender torches with flaming tops stand on either side of that base. Graphite contour lines define the forms, and soft sage, pale grey and pale yellow colouring sits on cream paper. The lower band carries the lettering MANSFIELD 1907 in raised block capitals.

Meaning & Symbolism

A winged figure paired with a serpent recurs across sculptural and symbolic traditions as an image of transformation and the passage between states. Here the coiling serpent sets the figure in motion, while the flames at the torches frame the whole sheet as a commemorative object. The inscribed place and year tie the drawing to a specific occasion. George Grey Barnard, the American sculptor known for large figurative works in marble and bronze, made this design drawing around 1907, during the years he was producing major public commissions. It records the preparatory stage of his sculptural practice, where he worked out the balance of figure, ornament and base before carving or casting.

Designed for the Shirt

A tee is worn close to the body and seen from the front, which suits a design planned to be read from the front. The symmetrical layout centres the winged figure on the chest, so the torches and base frame the wearer's torso while the serpent carries the eye upward from the hem.