Study for Proposed Portfolio "Decorated Chests of Rural Pennsylvania" 1941

This watercolour study for "Decorated Chests of Rural Pennsylvania" is unsigned, so we don't know who made it. What I love here is the way that the anonymous artist approached the image in a flat way. There are outlines of red and yellow surrounding the forms so it feels graphic and bold. Look at the mark-making in the vase. The shapes look like flames, but are highly stylized and decorative. The paint isn't overworked, but rather, the essence of the shape is distilled. I wonder if the artist looked at Matisse's cut-outs as a reference? Because the artist reduces nature to almost abstract shapes, it reminds me of the way that Matisse simplified his forms. This piece is a testament to the enduring power of folk art to inspire and influence artists across generations. For me it demonstrates that art is an ongoing conversation, an exchange of ideas that transcends time and authorship.