Toy Train 1935 - 1942

Francis Law Durand made this delicate watercolour called Toy Train, but when? It’s so hard to know sometimes isn’t it, but that's ok. Look at the way Durand approaches the subject. It's all about capturing light and form through these translucent washes, each layer building up the shape and volume of the toy. See how the thin paint allows the paper to shine through, creating a luminous quality? It’s as if the train is lit from within. I’m drawn to the wheels especially, the way they are not perfectly round but have this subtle wobble, giving the whole image a sense of movement and playfulness. It's the details that make it so engaging and intimate. The colour palette is so restrained, these soft pinks and browns, with just a touch of black, giving the painting a quiet, reflective mood. It reminds me a little of Giorgio Morandi’s still life paintings, in the way that it elevates everyday objects to something poetic and profound. Both artists seem interested in the process of art making as a means of quiet contemplation, and an invitation to find beauty in the mundane.