Red Lion Inn Sign c. 1939

Martin Partyka's ‘Red Lion Inn Sign’ seems to have materialized stroke by stroke. The ochre ground, the umber writing, the rusty lion – all are built from layers. The sign is a place where the symbolic and the practical meet. Imagine Partyka standing there, maybe a bit cold, carefully mixing his pigments. Did he have an image of a lion in mind, or did the beast emerge from the red and brown hues? Look at that tail – it curls with a life of its own, a sort of painterly flourish, as though the lion were signing his own name. This sign reminds me of a lot of self-taught artists because you can feel them figuring out what paint can do. And that’s exciting! It’s like they’re in a dialogue with artists across time and space, all trying to nail the elusive spirit of something. It’s about embracing imperfection, knowing that sometimes the best things come from the unexpected.