Zoar Invalid Wagon c. 1937

Fritz Boehmer made this watercolor painting of the Zoar Invalid Wagon, and what strikes me is the specificity of it. You know, I can imagine Boehmer- who lived through some very turbulent times - sitting down with his paints and brushes, maybe sketching first, and then really getting into the details of this object. It's not just any wagon; it’s the Zoar Invalid Wagon! Look at those red details and then how he lets the wheels fade back. It looks like he really studied the way the light hits it. The color palette is limited, but it's all about capturing the nuances of form and shadow. Boehmer and his fellow artists were all in a conversation, weren't they? Each one building on what came before, trying to capture something unique, something true, in their own way. And that's what painting is all about, isn't it?