Cigar Store Figure c. 1937

Walter Hochstrasser made this painting of a Cigar Store Figure, we don't know when, in what looks like gouache or watercolor on paper. Imagine him, maybe in the mid-20th century, carefully rendering this sculpture, with its muted browns, reds, and greens. I can really feel Walter's hand in this; he's not just copying, but trying to capture the volume of this figure. He’s feeling the weight of it through his brush. I bet he was thinking about the original artist, maybe even feeling a little envious of their carving skills. It's like he's saying, "Okay, I can't carve it, but I can paint it." The soft, blended colors give the figure depth, and that little glint of light on the, um, object in his hand? That’s Hochstrasser really trying to bring this thing to life on paper. And even though it's a painting of a sculpture, it’s still a painting, you know? With all the little imperfections and quirks that come with it. It’s a beautiful tribute and a kind of translation. We are always translating and expanding on each other's ideas.