Pulpit 1940

Hal Blakeley made this painting of a pulpit, likely with watercolor, sometime in the 20th century. I imagine Blakeley standing before this impressive structure, squinting his eyes to capture the way light and shadow play across its surface, and how the various colours contrast against one another. It's a detailed painting, built up with careful brushstrokes. The ornamentation is fascinating; he really lingers on the geometric patterns, rendering them with incredible precision. I'm interested in the way he's used a limited colour palette of reds, blues, and golds, somehow making it shimmer. What's really striking is the contrast between the ornate detailing of the pulpit itself and the stark simplicity of the background. It reminds us that every artistic choice changes the way we see and think about things. This painting invites us to consider the relationship between the sacred and the everyday, the ornate and the plain.