Cabin in the Cotton c. 1931 - 1937

Horace Pippin made this scene, Cabin in the Cotton, with oil on canvas. Look how those clouds loom, built up with white paint, almost like thick frosting. I bet Pippin stood back, squinting, trying to get that feeling of a heavy, humid day just right. The cabin itself is dark, a sturdy form against the bright cotton field. You know, painting a scene like this isn't just about copying what you see; it’s about feeling it. What was it like for Pippin to conjure this cabin? What memories, what stories did he carry with him as he mixed those blacks and browns? Maybe he thought about his own history, about the history of so many others. That little tree on top of the cabin—I see a nod to other American painters, maybe even a playful wink at Grandma Moses. Painters are always looking, always in conversation, riffing on each other's ideas. And here we are, still looking, still talking, years later.