Mäuse 

Carl Reichert made this artwork, Mäuse, using watercolor and gouache. Gouache is an opaque watercolor paint, lending itself to matte surfaces with rich color. Reichert’s choice of gouache creates a soft texture, emphasizing the fur of these mice. The painting’s precision and detail make it an impressive feat of craft and technique, especially since it was made during a time when photography was rising in popularity. In that sense, the work is not only a testament to the artist’s skill, but also to the value placed on handmade images during the Industrial Revolution. During this period of mass production, the value of unique handmade objects grew, partly in response to the increasing uniformity of industrialized goods. A watercolor like this one then becomes an emblem of specialized labor and careful, close observation. It reminds us that making involves time, skill, and individual creative expression.