Giving Thanks 1942

Horace Pippin made this painting, Giving Thanks, with oil on canvas. The scene buzzes with intimacy. The figures are arranged around a table, heads bent in prayer or quiet contemplation. I can almost feel the warmth of the room, smell the food on the table, and hear the murmur of voices. Pippin’s flattened perspective and simplified forms only intensify the emotional depth of the painting. I wonder what Pippin was thinking about when he made this? He served in the First World War and began painting to rehabilitate his injured arm. I'm sure he would have brought a certain sense of gratitude to the act. The colors are muted, earthy tones, with splashes of bright blues, reds, and greens. Pippin's use of color creates a sense of balance and harmony, drawing the viewer into the scene. I notice how the oval rug echoes the shape of the table, drawing our gaze to the center of the painting. Horace Pippin's work reminds us of the enduring power of painting to capture the essence of human experience.