Cigar Store Indian c. 1938

An anonymous hand has rendered this Cigar Store Indian with watercolor and graphite on paper. Looking at those marks, the way the graphite underscores the figure, it’s clear that the artist is thinking through the form, allowing the painting to emerge bit by bit. I’m curious about the artist’s decisions – like the choice of that bold red for the dress, offset by the more muted green skirt and yellow sash. I wonder if they were trying to capture the light, to create volume and depth with those colors? It feels like a study of color, form, and surface. That raised arm holding the hammer... It’s a gesture that could mean so many things. Is it a symbol of power, resistance, or is it simply a sign to draw the eye? It reminds me of some of Marsden Hartley's figurative work. Artists, you know, we're always looking, always borrowing, always in conversation with one another. And sometimes, the most interesting conversations happen through the quiet act of painting.