Cradle c. 1937

Leonard Battee made this “Cradle” from his imagination, without a specified date using what looks like watercolor. Just look at that earthy brown wash he’s layered across the wood. I can feel the artist's hand moving, building up tone and volume, coaxing form out of flat space. It's not just about depicting a cradle; it’s about understanding how light plays on the surface of the wood, how shadows define the edges. I wonder if Battee was thinking of folk art traditions when making this? There’s something so earnest and direct about the execution. The whole thing feels like a quiet meditation on form and function, a kind of love letter to the everyday object. The little carved details sing! Painters are always talking to each other across time. Battee’s work is part of that ongoing conversation, echoing and answering the questions that other artists have posed before. To me, this is a reminder that art-making is an act of inquiry, full of curiosity and constant discovery.