Toy Coach and Two Horses c. 1936

Du Bois made this whimsical watercolor of a toy coach and horses sometime in the 19th century. What strikes me is the directness of the mark-making, the way the whole thing is laid down with such certainty. It feels less like illustration and more like pure painting, embracing the flatness of the page. The thin washes of color give it a light, airy feel, like a memory. Look at the grey-blue of the coach, how it's built up with layers of transparent paint, allowing the paper to breathe through. I love the way the figures are rendered with simple strokes, their forms suggested rather than defined. See the horses' legs, so spindly and delicate, they're just a few flicks of the brush, but they convey so much movement. It reminds me of Redon, in that it shares a similar sense of naive sophistication and a dreamlike quality. This piece really exemplifies how art can be about capturing a feeling, an essence, rather than a literal representation. It's a reminder that sometimes the simplest gestures can be the most powerful.