Pa. German Rooster c. 1936

Du Bois painted this Pa. German Rooster with watercolor, sometime between 1775 and 1875. I love the way the artist is unafraid to let the white paper shine through, creating a sense of light and airiness. The rooster itself is a marvel of simple shapes and colors. The body is built up with layers of translucent browns and yellows, giving it a kind of earthy glow. Look at the way the brushstrokes follow the form, creating a sense of volume and texture. The green mound it stands on is equally charming, with its mix of dark and light greens suggesting both shadow and form. There is a kind of raw innocence here. The whole image reminds me of early Marsden Hartley, with its bold forms and deceptively simple execution. It’s a great reminder that art doesn’t have to be complicated to be powerful. Instead it's a conversation across time.