Cast Iron Dobbie c. 1936

This is Rex F. Bush's painting of a 'Cast Iron Dobbie'. I love the way the figure pops, almost like a vintage advertisement! The way Bush has worked with these flat blocks of color, the salmon pants, the butter yellow waistcoat, it's so graphic and bold. I can imagine Bush carefully layering the paint, building up each color like a layer of memory. There's a real stillness about the figure, but the slightly tilted head and the cane suggest movement, as if he's about to break into a little jig. It reminds me of some of Stuart Davis's jazzy paintings, where everyday objects get turned into these vibrant, rhythmic compositions. Rex F. Bush has transformed a cast iron figure into a striking image of memory and imagination, that leaves you wondering about the stories and histories embedded in the object.