Piano 1935 - 1942

This is George Loughridge's "Piano," made with watercolor, probably sometime in the mid-20th century. I'm drawn to the gentle, almost tentative way he's laid down the washes of brown. It's like he's building the piano from the barest of sketches. What strikes me is how the watercolor almost mimics the wood grain of the piano itself. See how the color pools and settles in certain areas, creating these subtle textures? It’s as if the paint itself is trying to become the thing it represents. Look at the legs, how they taper elegantly. It's almost as if they're holding their breath, poised between support and flight. That dark shadow under the lid gives a hint of mystery. Loughridge's approach reminds me a little of Charles Demuth, who also used watercolor with a delicate, architectural precision. Both artists show us that art is not just about capturing a likeness but about engaging in a conversation with the world.