Bandbox Design c. 1937

This is a bandbox design by Martin Partyka, who lived between 1855 and 1995. Looking at it, I’m reminded that artmaking is a process of combining things, like a recipe. The texture is flat, almost like a print, but the marks look like they’ve been made by hand with gouache or watercolor. See how the pink is laid on in blocks and stripes, creating a rippled effect? And beneath, the sky is a solid pale blue that brings it all together. It’s really neat how the artist simplifies the forms: birds, flowers, and foliage are reduced to flat, graphic shapes. There's something about the way the design is structured that makes me think of Matisse's cut-outs. Like Matisse, Partyka uses bold outlines and blocks of color to create a lively sense of rhythm and movement. Ultimately it seems the artist is more interested in the overall effect than in representing any particular form. It's a conversation across time. A playful and intriguing piece!