Pa. German Toy Hen c. 1939

Hester Duany made this delightful watercolour and graphite drawing of a Pa. German Toy Hen at an unknown date. I love how the drawing captures the essence of folk art: simple, direct, and full of heart. The palette here is wonderfully restrained. Duany used a limited range of earthy tones, mostly browns and creams, which adds to the drawing's unassuming charm. It's as if the colours themselves are whispering a story about the humble materials the original toy was made from: wood, love, and time. The marks in the feathers are like tiny conversations, each line carefully placed to suggest texture and form. The texture of the wooden hen is lovingly rendered with a gentle hand and a keen eye for detail. It reminds me a little of the precise observation in some of the botanical illustrations by Maria Merian, yet filtered through the lens of folk art's playful sensibility. Isn't it amazing how art can be a conversation across time and styles?