Station of the Cross No. 5: "Jesus is Assisted in Carrying His Cross c. 1936

William Herbert made this "Station of the Cross No. 5" at an unknown date, and it looks like watercolour or gouache on paper. I love how the whole image is built from these blotchy, blocky strokes. The colours are muted, kind of earthy, and everything's a bit flattened, like folk art. Look closely, and you'll see how the paint is pretty thin and transparent in places. Herbert doesn't hide his process at all; you can see every brushstroke, every little decision he made along the way. It's like he's inviting us into his studio, letting us peek over his shoulder as he works. The medium is very physical – you get a real sense of the hand. Check out the figure in the orange robe, how the robe’s folds are suggested with broad sweeps of pigment. It’s not precise, but it captures the essence of the fabric’s drape and weight. There's a humility to this that reminds me a bit of Philip Guston's later work. Like Guston, Herbert embraces a kind of awkwardness, a willingness to let the paint do its thing. And, like all good art, it's more about asking questions than providing answers.