Cigar Store Indian c. 1938

Orville Cline made this artwork, ‘Cigar Store Indian’ and it has such an arresting image, it immediately grabs you. The earthy palette and straightforward marks show us painting as a process of bearing witness. The colours are muted and warm, a limited palette of browns, ochres, and greens, that gives the piece a kind of aged, nostalgic feel. The surface is worked quite thinly, with visible brushstrokes that add texture and depth, especially in the figure's clothing and headdress. I find myself drawn to the way the artist has rendered the face. The planes are simplified, almost blocky, yet there's a real sense of character and presence. The upward-pointing arm is a gesture that leads the eye upward, adding a dynamic energy to the otherwise static figure. This painting reminds me of some of the early American folk art I've seen, particularly in its directness and unpretentious approach to representation. Like all good paintings, this one is an invitation to look closer, to think and feel.