Studies for Leg Splint Sculpture

The leg splint pattern inspired Ray’s sculptural creativity. These two exploratory illustrations made in ink and graphite take as their base the splint’s organic outline. Within that form, anthropomorphic shapes emerge that are abstract yet suggestive of a fluid figure with a head, torso, arms, and feet. The splint was first created by making a cast of Charles’s leg, and later adjusted using measurements from a range of subjects to determine a universal fit. The splint itself evokes the body it is designed to support and Ray’s experimental patterns amplify this corporeal aspect of the Eameses’ design.