Healing of the Chalk

Bramblett often incorporates natural raw materials in his painting, and here uses charcoal and limestone chalk, both of which derive from mined substances. Healing of the Chalk is based on the miracles of Christ as depicted in Rembrandt’s drawings and etchings. Here a blind man is made to see as Jesus offers him the host, a white disc set against a field of black elements. Bramblett was inspired by a trip to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam: “I entered a very long and darkened corridor. Down each wall and in the center were rows of glass cases. In those cases were what seemed to be hundreds of Rembrandt’s sketchbooks and bound etchings. I was overwhelmed not only by the sheer quantity of work, but also by its physicality. It was as if Rembrandt was a stone carver, the paper was his stone, and his pen was his chisel. This sense of physical weight carried into the emotional weight of his subjects.” 

We are always open to learning more about our collections and updating the website. We invite you to share your ideas, knowledge, and stories as they relate to the art in our collection. Contact us here.

Please note that work by this particular artist might not be on view when you visit.
Don’t worry—we have plenty of exhibitions for you to explore.