Pa. German Child's Bank c. 1939

Luther D. Wenrich made this delightful watercolour, 'Pa. German Child's Bank,' and what strikes me is how meticulously he’s built up the image, coaxing it into being. The palette here is tonal browns, rusts, and creams, all soft and warm. I imagine Wenrich, brush in hand, carefully layering the paint to capture the subtle details of the child’s bank. There’s a real sense of observation here, as if he’s trying to understand how light falls on the object, how the different textures play against each other. It reminds me of those early modernists, like Cézanne, who were so invested in seeing. Wenrich, too, seems to be asking: how do we really see? What does it mean to look closely at the everyday objects that surround us? His painting invites us to slow down and appreciate the simple beauty of this humble child’s bank. It’s a reminder that art can be found in the most unexpected places, and that even the most ordinary objects can become extraordinary when viewed through the eyes of an artist.