The artwork entitled “Horse Tub” was painted by artist Jamie Wyeth in 1972. This piece is rendered in watercolor on paper and is a representation of the Contemporary Realism movement. The dimensions of this piece measure 53.3 by 73.7 centimeters, and it falls into the genre of landscape.
The artwork depicts a rustic scene featuring an old, weathered bathtub situated outdoors, presumably within a farm or rural setting. The bathtub rests directly on the ground, which appears to be parched or sunbaked earth, hinting at an open-air rural landscape. The paint used to coat the tub has faded and peeled over time, suggesting the tub has been exposed to the elements for an extended period. The bathtub’s presence is accentuated by the stark white fence running horizontally behind it, which contrasts sharply with the bathtub’s texture and color. Moreover, the horizontal lines of the fence add a sense of order and structure to the otherwise isolated and solitary subject. The artwork is suffused with a sense of stillness that, combined with the quality of light captured, evokes the intensity and heat of a summer’s day. The artist’s use of varying tones and textures provides a commentary on permanence and decay within a pastoral setting, possibly alluding to broader themes of time and memory in the context of a changing rural American landscape.
