Cigar Store Indian c. 1938

Walter Hochstrasser, who lived from 1855 to 1995, painted this "Cigar Store Indian" with what seems to be tempera paint. You can see the artist building up the form of the figure with blended hues that articulate a sense of three-dimensionality. The layering of these colours gives the figure a sculptural quality. Notice how the different brown shades in the garment create depth, almost as if you could reach out and touch the fringe. The textures are built up through a kind of slow, considered process. I love the careful attention to detail, like the feathered headdress, cape, and the weapon in his right hand. It reminds me a little of the work of Florine Stettheimer, who like Hochstrasser, embraced figuration and storytelling. In both artists' oeuvres you can see the construction of a world that is both playful and profound.