Shoes 1935 - 1942

These shoes, by Jean Peszel, are rendered in watercolor with a tender touch. The palette is all blush and baby blue, conjuring something soft and sweet. I can imagine Peszel carefully building up the layers of color, each wash seeping into the paper, creating subtle gradations and shadows that give the shoes their form. I wonder what Peszel was thinking as they painted the frills and curves? The shoes are like soft sculptures, each carefully observed and lovingly rendered. The brushstrokes are delicate, almost hesitant, as if the artist is trying to capture not just the appearance of the shoes but their very essence. The pale pink lining peeking out suggests comfort. Painters are always in conversation with each other, across time and space. These shoes remind me of Van Gogh's boots—Peszel seems to be in a tender dialogue with both the object, and the masters. A reminder that painting is an embodied expression, always open to new readings.