Hands, which are notoriously difficult to draw, frequently appear in Barton’s work. This sketch, possibly made while the artist was incarcerated, examines a specific gesture from multiple angles. The composition underscores the expressive potential of hands, and its overlapping of red and blue lines suggests movement.
Rick Barton (1928–1992)
Untitled [Hands], 1959
Red and blue pen and ink
Rick Barton papers (Collection 2374), UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles