Cigar Store Indian c. 1942

Mary Edith Brooks created this 'Cigar Store Indian' with what looks like watercolour, and maybe some graphite, on paper. There’s a real sense of looking here. The image looks as if she’s taken her time to notice how the light falls on the figure. The colours are muted, earthy, and, yet, there are some flashes of colour, look at that red top the figure is wearing. The overall effect is quite subtle. The lines are delicate, suggesting the texture of the carved wood. See how she's captured the way the light catches the edges of the figure. What I like about this piece is how Brooks translates a three-dimensional object into two dimensions. It seems like a quiet tribute. It reminds me of some of the work of Fairfield Porter, who also had an interest in the everyday. There’s a certain respect, a reverence even, in the way she looks at this figure.