Highboy c. 1939

Leonard Battee made this watercolor Highboy, its date is unknown. I like how, in this painting, you can feel the process of observing and recording. There’s no attempt to hide the hand of the artist, no slick surfaces. It's like Battee is thinking through the very act of seeing. Look at how the wood grain is evoked with such simple strokes. The color palette is limited, almost austere, yet he coaxes out a full range of tones with incredible economy. See the dark lines defining the edges, and how they give way to softer washes in the center of the drawers. It's this tension between line and wash that creates the illusion of depth and volume. It's a humble, straightforward way of picture-making. It reminds me a little of some of the Shaker artists, simple, practical, and rooted in careful observation. There's a quiet kind of beauty in this kind of art, don't you think?