Astronomical Chart with Bowl of Oranges, 2015-2023

May 15, 2026

Details

Sheet: 7¾ x 6¾ inches
watercolor, graphite, pen and ink, and acrylic on Fabriano paper,

This drawing is currently included in the exhibition, Charles Ritchie: Drawings from a Room, at Kathryn Markel Fine Arts, 179 10th Avenue, New York, NY, 14 May - 20 June 2026. Opening Thursday 21 May 2026, 6 - 8 pm.

The framed pages seen hanging on my studio wall are from the atlas that accompanied Elijah H. Burritt’s “The Geography of the Heavens,” and “Class Book of Astronomy” a mid-19th century publication depicting celestial phenomena. I am entranced by the variety of the shapes in the grid, the vivid black and white contrast, and the immensity of space the tiny figures evoke. The chart has adorned my studio since almost the moment we arrived in 1985.

My tiny handwriting along the top of my drawing is a script that generally only I can read. I often write in concert with making my drawings, recording dreams and various musings. One can also find the inscribed date I began the drawing (6 September 2015) and the date I considered it complete (9 July 2023), as well as some of the days I was actively working on it.

Check out my online blog post, "Mapping the Night" for more about my astronomical charts.

A much earlier drawing of the same subject, Daffodils with Astronomical Chart, can be found here.