Rawhide Chest c. 1937

Gerald Transpota made this little watercolor of a rawhide chest, and it’s just, like, radiating quietude, don’t you think? Look at the way the paint has settled into the paper's texture—the soft, glowing edges and the way the light catches the little rivets. I mean, this is just pure observation. Transpota is clearly really looking at this thing. I wonder if he had it sitting right in front of him? I bet he did! The palette is gorgeous, all browns and creams, like old leather. The metal looks oxidized from age, and it’s all so understated, you know? Like he’s saying, "Hey, this thing exists, and it has a story, even if I don’t know what it is.” It's like the humblest folk art ever made, and yet so dignified. The whole thing has such a tender energy, and it’s that tenderness that makes you look closer and wonder.