Chintz c. 1936

Erwin Stenzel’s “Chintz” is a watercolor and graphite artwork. It’s got this great, warm palette of browns, reds, and greens that feels both earthy and inviting. I can almost see Stenzel at work here, layering delicate washes of color, building up these intricate floral patterns. It’s like he's creating a whole little world, right there on the page, flower by flower. Look at how the petals overlap and how each leaf has its own unique shape. It's not just about representation; it's about capturing the essence of these natural forms. It feels like a meditation, a kind of loving observation. Stenzel had a long life, born in the mid 19th century, living almost to the end of the 20th and, in a way, he was in conversation with so many other artists, and that conversation continues even now. I can see something of William Morris's decorative patterns in this. They remind us that art is an ongoing dialogue, a give-and-take across time.