Pa. German Toy Hen c. 1937

Robert Harlow’s “Pa. German Toy Hen” is made of watercolor on paper. Look at this hen, she's kind of maroon and green, nestled in her little nest. Harlow's put her right in the center. I can almost feel him painting it, hunched over the paper, gently coaxing the image to life. The colors are simple, but there's a real tenderness to it. It's like he really saw the essence of that little toy. I wonder if Harlow ever played with a toy like this as a kid. There’s something so quiet and observant about this. This is a painting about simple things, really seeing what's in front of you, and finding beauty in it. And for me, that’s what painting is all about, just keep looking, and maybe, if you're lucky, you’ll find something beautiful in the everyday.