Cigar Store Figure c. 1939

Albert Ryder made this ‘Cigar Store Figure’ out of watercolor and graphite on paper. I am curious as to why Ryder decided to make this two-dimensional. Was it a drawing of something he saw, or something he wished he had? I imagine him looking closely and trying to figure out how to translate a three-dimensional object into a two-dimensional plane. Was Ryder interested in sculpture? What other kinds of paintings was Ryder making at this point? Did he see himself as part of the folk art tradition? The artist’s hand seems delicate, even though the subject matter is rugged. There is precision in the man’s gaze and the detail of his long mustache. Ryder’s figure evokes a sense of nostalgia and craftsmanship that connects with earlier traditions of painting. Ultimately, painting is a way of thinking and feeling, and Ryder has given us a lot to think about.