Miniature Oxcart c. 1939

Eugene Bartz created this watercolor in what looks like a very muted palette. Imagine him, maybe at a table by a window, meticulously layering these semi-transparent washes to depict this miniature oxcart. I can imagine him really getting into it, losing himself in the details of the canvas and wood. He's captured the texture of the canvas covering in this dusty pink, and even the patina of the wood, using these really delicate washes. The whole thing feels so considered, so deliberate. It almost reminds me of Wayne Thiebaud who also painted things with this tender, loving care. I can just feel how much Bartz cared about this oxcart. Maybe it was a memory, a symbol, or maybe he just loved the way the light hit it just so. And in that act of painting, he wasn't just representing an object, but also preserving a feeling, a moment in time. It's like he’s saying, “Look at this! Isn’t it amazing?”. You can feel that excitement, that invitation in every stroke.