Solon H. Borglum, born Ogden, UT - Foliage - n.d. - T-Shirt

A narrow vertical pencil study of tangled stalks and shaded foliage, drawn on pale, yellowed paper by sculptor Solon Borglum.

Visual Elements & Composition

Pale yellow paper fills most of the sheet, with graphite grey marks carrying the entire image. Long stems slant diagonally across the lower two-thirds, crossing over one another above a dense block of hatched shading at the left that reads as a shrub or clump of leaves. On the right, thinner stems and grass blades rise in sparse, upright strokes above a faint horizontal ground line. The upper area stays largely open, with a few light lines hinting at branches, and a small rust-brown stain sits in the upper left corner.

Meaning & Symbolism

The drawing concentrates on the density and direction of growth rather than on any single plant. The contrast between the shaded mass at left and the open clearing at right gives the study its depth, with light falling into a gap in the vegetation. Studies like this record how plants lean, overlap and catch light. Solon Borglum (1868-1922), born in Ogden, Utah, worked mainly as a sculptor, most often on animal and figure subjects, and he was the younger brother of Gutzon Borglum. Foliage studies such as this one show the observational habit behind the natural settings in his sculptural and decorative work.

On the T-Shirt

Ink-free graphite lines read best when they are seen up close, and a tee carries this tangle of stems across the chest where the eye can follow each diagonal stroke. The open upper area of the sheet gives the composition room to breathe on the shirt, and the shaded foliage at left anchors the print. Wearing the design puts the drawing's clearing and cluster of growth in front of you as you move.