Bill Traylor
American, 1853–1949
A straight edge, pencils, poster paints, and cast-off paper or cardboard constitute the rudiments of Traylor’s art. He began by drawing geometric shapes (such as the rectangles and triangles visible in House), and then filled in the outlines with pencil or paints. The cardboard ground usually absorbed the paint, preserving the free-spirited strokes with which it was applied and creating subtle variations in color.
Compositions such as this one can be colloquially referred to as “chicken stealing mayhem,” and Traylor painted such scenes frequently. Here, the figures literally swing from the rafters and shout from the rooftop, while a baying dog in the foreground provides further commentary. The reason for the excitement is unmistakable, and is seen in the hand of the figure balanced precariously on the roof. Known euphemistically as “the bottle,” alcohol accounts for the activity below.
American Paintings from the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, 2006, cat. no. 34
American, 1853–1949
House
about 1941
Object Type:
Drawing
Creation Place:
North America, American, Alabama
Dimensions:
22 1/4 in. x 14 1/8 in. (56.52 cm x 35.88 cm)
Medium and Support:
Watercolor and graphite on cardboard
Accession Number:
1982.0004.0029
Credit Line:
Gift of Charles and Eugenia Shannon
A straight edge, pencils, poster paints, and cast-off paper or cardboard constitute the rudiments of Traylor’s art. He began by drawing geometric shapes (such as the rectangles and triangles visible in House), and then filled in the outlines with pencil or paints. The cardboard ground usually absorbed the paint, preserving the free-spirited strokes with which it was applied and creating subtle variations in color.
Compositions such as this one can be colloquially referred to as “chicken stealing mayhem,” and Traylor painted such scenes frequently. Here, the figures literally swing from the rafters and shout from the rooftop, while a baying dog in the foreground provides further commentary. The reason for the excitement is unmistakable, and is seen in the hand of the figure balanced precariously on the roof. Known euphemistically as “the bottle,” alcohol accounts for the activity below.
American Paintings from the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, 2006, cat. no. 34
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