Bulto c. 1938

Majel G. Claflin made this watercolor, Bulto, sometime before 1941, and the colours create a sense of depth through their layering. You can see the process so clearly here, it’s like she's thinking out loud with the brush. Claflin’s handling of the paint is really interesting. She's built up these layers of semi-transparent washes, especially in the face and neck of the figure. Look at the cheek – all those subtle blues and pinks, so thinly applied, it's incredible. It’s not about hiding the process, but revealing it. I think that one single dark stroke that defines the beard really anchors the whole composition. It's bold and direct, and it gives the piece a lot of its character. It reminds me a bit of Marsden Hartley's portraits – that same interest in capturing the essence of a person through simple, powerful forms.