Shop Sign c. 1939

This watercolor on paper of a shop sign, was made by Frances Cohen. I really love this one! I can imagine the artist carefully layering the washes of earthy pinks and yellows, each stroke building up the form of the fish. It’s simple, but there’s a real care in the rendering of the scales and fins, giving it a kind of honest, quirky charm. I wonder if Frances was a sign painter by trade, or maybe just someone with a knack for making things look appealing. The way the colours blend together, with the warmer tones on top and the cooler yellows underneath, it’s very pleasing and makes the fish feel like it has some volume. I’m thinking about other painters who worked with a limited palette like that. It's as if they're having a conversation across time!