Gravel extraction vessel 1954

Alfred Krupa made this watercolor, Gravel extraction vessel, in 1954, and just look at how the washes pool and flow! Imagine Krupa, outside by the river, watching the light change over the water, rapidly capturing the scene with watery pigment. You can almost feel the dampness in the air. I love how he’s captured the essence of the gravel barge, that imposing structure in the middle of the river. The paint is so thin, so translucent, allowing the paper to breathe beneath. See how the muted blues and greens of the landscape reflect in the water, creating a sense of depth and atmosphere? There’s a real economy of means here, a confidence in the way he’s laid down each stroke. And it puts me in mind of other artists also fascinated by capturing transient atmospheric conditions: Turner comes to mind, or maybe Whistler. But of course, Krupa brings his own unique sensibility to the conversation. It’s a reminder that artists are always in dialogue with one another, building on what’s come before, while forging their own path.