Landscape with Figures 1914

Kenneth Hayes Miller made this painting, Landscape with Figures, location and date unknown, with oil on canvas. Looking at this picture I see a limited palette that gives the picture a subdued tonality. It’s pretty muted, not a lot of chroma, and there is a definite feel to the surface, a dragging of the brush. I'm noticing how the paint has been applied in such a way that it creates a sense of depth and volume, even though the forms are softly rendered. The figures are built up using layers of paint, creating a tangible feeling of mass, a kind of painterly chiaroscuro. The paint handling is pretty evident. You can see the marks, the way the brush was dragged across the surface to create texture. I'm reminded of the work of Edwin Dickinson, who had a similar approach to form and a similar color sensibility. Art’s an ongoing conversation, right? It's all about seeing what's come before and finding your own voice.