Ox Shoes c. 1936

Walter Praefke made this drawing of ox shoes, probably later in his life, using what looks like watercolor. The shades of brown and the off-white of the paper feel muted but inviting, like earth after a rain. There’s something so interesting about the way these shoes are rendered. The texture of the leather is built up through layers of tiny brushstrokes, almost pointillist but not quite, giving them a worn, lived-in feel. You can imagine the weight of these shoes, the way they might have felt on the animal’s hooves. The simple palette focuses our attention on the shapes. They seem to hover on the page, like a memory. It reminds me a little of Marsden Hartley, that same reverence for everyday objects and the stories they carry. Ultimately, art is about asking questions, not giving answers. What do these shoes mean to you?