Pa. German Sugar Tub 1935 - 1942

Ethelbert Brown made this watercolour of a Pa. German Sugar Tub. The colours are so soft and warm, a kind of muted coral with these looping green tendrils. It’s a painting about process, about the time it takes to build up these delicate washes. You can really see the surface of the paper coming through, making the colours glow from within, and the marks are so precise and careful, almost like embroidery. Look at the way the scalloped patterns create a sense of movement and texture. It makes me wonder about Brown's tools, were they using tiny brushes to create these intricate designs, or maybe even stencils? It makes me think of the work of Charles Demuth, who was also interested in American folk art. But where Demuth could be quite austere, Brown is full of warmth and charm. And it reminds us that art is an ongoing conversation, a way of seeing and experiencing the world that is always open to new interpretations.