Scallions 1919

Joseph Stella made this drawing of Scallions sometime in the early part of the 20th century. The lines feel very tentative, and there’s an incompleteness that feels generous, open. The pale green of the scallions barely registers against the off-white paper. Stella uses the most gentle touch, applying the pigment in thin washes. It’s almost as if he’s trying to capture the idea of a scallion, not the thing itself. Look closely and you can see how he lets the lines fade in and out, creating a kind of shimmering effect. It reminds me of a Chinese brush painting, where the artist aims to capture the essence of something with minimal means. That trailing scallion on the left is so beautiful, like a languid gesture. Stella’s other works, like his paintings of the Brooklyn Bridge, are so different - massive and industrial. But here, he shows us that he can also be delicate, quiet, and deeply attuned to the natural world. Like Marsden Hartley, Stella was interested in exploring the full range of possibilities within his practice, unafraid to shift gears and embrace new ways of seeing. It's a great reminder that art is always a process of discovery, not a fixed destination.