Buggy c. 1936

Fred Weiss’s “Buggy,” made with, I think, watercolor, shows us a world of precision and gentle colour. It’s all about the process of looking really closely. There’s this incredible tension between the flatness of the paper and the illusion of three-dimensionality. Weiss really obsesses over every spoke on those wheels. Each one is carefully rendered, giving the whole piece a kind of vibrating energy. The color palette is so restrained - browns, grays, and creams. These hues give the buggy a sense of history. I’m drawn to the way the seat is shaded, it's like Weiss wanted to capture the feeling of worn leather. The paper peeks through the paint, creating a subtle texture that adds to the feeling of age. You could say Weiss is channeling his inner Dürer, with a touch of Edward Hopper’s quiet observation. It reminds us that art is often about slowing down and really seeing what's in front of us. There’s a unique conversation between past and present, reality and representation.