Printed Chintz c. 1939

This 'Printed Chintz' was made by Hubbell McBride. Those colours, like faded memories, feel so gentle and old-fashioned, don’t they? I can almost feel the artist, hunched over their work, carefully painting each flower and horse. You can see McBride was really thinking about movement. The way the horses leap across the landscape, framed by those incredible blooms. I wonder, were they thinking of a lost pastoral scene? A childhood memory? Were they experimenting with a new way of seeing things? The material itself, this 'chintz', it's so tactile, so humble. I wonder if they ever thought their design would end up here. It all comes down to conversation, you know? This artwork speaks to me, and I bet it speaks to other artists too. We’re all just talking to each other across time, trying to figure out this whole painting thing.