Cigar Store Indian 1935 - 1942

Adele Brooks painted this Cigar Store Indian using watercolor. The way she's used these delicate washes of color, you can really see the layers building up, much like how a sculpture comes together, piece by piece. Look at the red of the draped cloth. It's not just one flat color, is it? It's got these subtle shifts, from almost pink to a deeper, richer red, that give it volume and weight. And the way the paint pools in the shadows? Delicious! You can see how Brooks has used a dry brush, creating tiny ridges that catch the light. They almost mimic the texture of carved wood. The whole piece has this ghostly feel, like a memory. This reminds me of Marsden Hartley, who also looked back to American folk art for inspiration. It’s like they’re both part of this ongoing conversation about what it means to be American, to remember the past. And just like any good conversation, it's full of surprises, ambiguities, and, of course, lots of different viewpoints.