Rocking Horse c. 1939

Willard Hazen made this ‘Rocking Horse’ with watercolor, graphite, and gouache on paper. The rendering is so delicate and precise, but it’s also kind of strange. I wonder if Hazen was thinking about how to freeze a moment of joy? I can imagine the gentle hand, the care and the almost scientific scrutiny he gave to this toy. The way he renders light, the soft shadows, the way he creates a sense of depth with the curves and angles of the rocking horse. It’s pretty compelling. Look at the meticulous rendering of the horse’s dappled spots! The way Hazen uses color to define form and create a sense of volume is remarkable. In a way, it reminds me of some of the early Renaissance painters and their attempts to capture the real world on canvas. I suppose artists are always talking to each other across time, whether they know it or not.