Solon H. Borglum, born Ogden, UT - Study of Arm - n.d. - T-Shirt

A graphite study of a bare human arm and closed hand, drawn with economy and restraint on pale, slightly yellowed paper.

Visual Elements & Composition

The forearm extends horizontally across the sheet, angled down from the upper right, with the hand resting loosely closed at the left edge, fingers folded under as if gripping an unseen object. Light, broken contour lines define the upper arm and elbow, while soft grey shading moves across the forearm and wrist to suggest the mass of muscle and bone. Nearly everything else is left blank, so the figure dominates a quiet field of cream paper. The creases, wear and small stains at the edges remain part of the composition.

Meaning & Symbolism

Studies like this were a core part of academic figure training. A sculptor or painter isolated one part of the body to master its structure, proportion and gesture before tackling a complete figure. The closed hand and the bend at the wrist are demanding motifs, and the spare line here favours the pose over finished detail. For a sculptor, that understanding of how an arm's mass turns and tenses fed directly into modelling in clay or carving in stone. The drawing comes from Solon Hannibal Borglum (1868-1922), born in Ogden, Utah, who became known for animal and figurative bronzes, including horses and frontier subjects. He was the brother of Gutzon Borglum, later associated with Mount Rushmore. Preserved as a personal working study, the sheet shows the private labour that stands behind finished monuments.

Wear the Study

This drawing is built from line and tone rather than colour, so it reads best at chest scale, where the arm's gesture and the soft shading of the forearm stay legible. The open field of blank paper around the figure gives the design room to sit cleanly on the shirt. Wearing it carries the discipline of the sketchbook into everyday dress, a reminder that the finished work begins with patient observation of a single gesture.