Hare and Hunting Boots 1926

Walt Kuhn made this still life, Hare and Hunting Boots, in 1926 with oil on canvas. It's a painting that feels both immediate and timeless, you know? The way Kuhn handles paint is interesting. It’s not about hiding the process. You can see each stroke, each decision. Look at how he renders the fur of the hare—short, choppy strokes that somehow capture the softness and the texture. And then, those boots! Heavy, dark, rendered with thick paint that makes them feel substantial, like they've seen some serious action. It's all about the materiality of the paint, the way it can evoke a feeling, a mood. That single line running vertically, suggesting a wall, it almost slices the painting in two. It’s unsettling. There’s a tension between the stillness of the objects and the implied violence of the hunt. It reminds me a little of Courbet, that same earthy realism, but with an added layer of psychological complexity. It's a painting that stays with you.