Station of the Cross No. 13: "Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross c. 1936

William Herbert made this piece, Station of the Cross No. 13, with what looks like watercolour or gouache, and maybe some graphite, too. Look at the pale palette and how the colours are built up in layers, almost like translucent glazes. It’s this sense of process – the way the colours bleed into one another – that gives the work its evocative quality. Up close, you can see how Herbert allows the watery medium to pool and settle, creating these soft, blurry edges. In contrast, the linear marks, like the spears held by the Roman soldiers, are much more decisive and graphic. I love the way these different qualities play against each other, softness and hardness. It’s kind of like a metaphor for the subject matter itself: the agony of the crucifixion tempered by a gentle, almost tender touch. You know, this work reminds me a little of the early religious paintings of Emil Nolde, but with a more naive or folk-art sensibility. Both artists share that deep, raw emotion, but Herbert’s more pared-down approach gives it a uniquely personal feel. It leaves the interpretation open, welcoming us into an ongoing conversation about art, faith, and human experience.