Ship's Sternpiece c. 1939

This watercolor, Ship's Sternpiece, comes to us from the hand and eye of Albert Ryder. I like to think about the artist figuring out how to make it. I mean, really *make* it. Ryder's choice of browns and reds, combined with the carving-like marks, gives it a sculptural feel, as if he's trying to capture the essence of a solid, three-dimensional form on a flat surface. It's kind of like he's channeling the spirit of the original ship carver but doing it through painting. The lines create texture and depth, turning a flat sheet into something that almost pops out at you. It makes me think about other artists, like Guston, who were also obsessed with form and line and how they could push the boundaries of what painting could do. There's a conversation happening here, across time, between artists pushing and pulling at the possibilities of their mediums.