The Signal

Davies employs charcoal’s deep, velvety strokes alongside the softer, powdery texture of chalk, generating subtle tonal variation against the cool blue ground. The limited palette and fluid contours exemplify his abstracted, lyrical approach, where form is suggested rather than fully delineated.

Arthur B. Davies, a leading figure in early‑20th‑century American modernism, produced the drawing during a period when he was actively promoting avant‑garde art in the United States. The Signal entered the National Gallery of Art’s holdings through acquisition in the mid‑20th century, though precise donation details remain undocumented.

The early 1920s marked a transitional phase for Davies, who balanced his commercial success with increasingly personal, symbolic work. The use of blue paper reflects contemporary experiments with non‑traditional supports, while the figure’s serene pose echoes the era’s fascination with the subconscious and the body as a vessel for emotional expression.