Poker Game 1903

Cassius Marcellus Coolidge made this oil on canvas, *Poker Game*, and what strikes me is how smoothly, almost seamlessly, he blends the brushstrokes. It's as if he's trying to hide the process, right? Look at the dog with the pipe, the way the light hits his fur. It’s so soft, so rendered. You can almost feel the texture, even though you know it's just paint. And that's the trick, isn't it? Creating an illusion of reality. I love how he manages to suggest the weight of the cards, the glint of the poker chips, all with these subtle gradations of tone. I think it speaks to a certain kind of American storytelling tradition. Think Norman Rockwell, but with dogs playing poker. The humor, the everyday scenes elevated to something more. The image has this odd mix of reality and absurdity, which you see in Pop Art as well, like Wayne Thiebaud's cakes. There's this embrace of the ordinary, but with a wink. Art doesn't always have to be serious, sometimes it can be a good joke.