Punch as Clown c. 1936

Lillian Stahl made this watercolor of Punch as Clown, and it’s interesting how she's gone about it, all loose and intuitive. It's like she's figuring him out as she goes. The washes of color create this great, kind of eerie vibe, especially in the face. Stahl’s use of thin, transparent layers lets the light bounce around, giving the piece a ghostly quality. The red of the costume is so rich, but also feels fragile, like it could all just dissolve away. And those hands! They're almost like they're floating, not quite connected to the body. The gesture of the piece as a whole reminds me of some of Red Grooms' sculptures, all wonky and full of character. It’s a reminder that art doesn’t have to be perfect to be powerful. It's about the feeling, the energy, the way it makes you see the world a little differently.