Ladies Home Journal - The Unpossessed 1947

Haddon Hubbard Sundblom's painting, possibly made for the Ladies Home Journal, captures a quiet moment with subtle brushstrokes and a muted color palette. I imagine Sundblom layering thin washes of paint, building up the figures and setting with soft edges. There’s an intimacy here. A woman rests her hands on a man’s shoulders as he plays the piano. I wonder what they were thinking as they paused to be captured in oil paint? What’s the song? Is it hopeful, sad, or something else? The texture of the paint adds to the overall mood, creating a sense of depth and atmosphere. Look at how he painted the woman’s shirt, the way the blue and white blend together, it reminds me of Fairfield Porter. I wonder if Sundblom thought about other painters while making this? I like to think of artists as being in a long conversation, each one adding their voice to the mix. By embracing the uncertain and ambiguous, painters offer us many interpretations, inviting us to bring our own experiences and feelings to the work.