Punch as Clown c. 1936

Lillian Stahl painted Punch as Clown using watercolors, and you can just imagine her studying this little puppet, trying to capture his essence. I wonder if Lillian felt a bit like Punch, stuck in her role, when she painted him? I love the way she’s rendered the texture of the clown’s ruff in juicy yellows, and the way the red of his costume bleeds into darker and lighter shades. I think she was really enjoying painting that red dress. The brushstrokes, delicate and precise, almost feel like she’s caressing the paper. It reminds me a little of Fairfield Porter, who also painted the everyday. And that’s what artists do, isn't it? We take what’s in front of us and try to make sense of it. We are all just trying to feel our way through.