The Black Horse 1942

John Atherton made "The Black Horse," an oil on canvas, at an unknown date. There is so much going on, right? I’m immediately drawn to the contrast between the soft, blended colors of the sky and the mountain, and the rough textures of the wood structures. The subdued palette creates a dreamlike atmosphere, but the stark, almost brutal, construction interrupts that serenity. Look closely at the horse; the paint is applied so smoothly, almost masking the brushstrokes, while the surrounding landscape and structures have a definite, almost violent, texture. This push-and-pull between control and chaos is something I play with a lot in my own work, that tension between what you want to say and how the materials push back. This reminds me a little of de Chirico's surreal landscapes, but with a distinctly American sensibility, like maybe Edward Hopper went to the moon. It’s a landscape that feels both familiar and utterly alien. And that horse? What's his story? It’s a painting that invites more questions than answers, and I love that!