Hat c. 1940

Hedwig Emanuel made this drawing called 'Hat', with pencil and watercolor on paper. There is an attentiveness in the mark making, particularly in the main hat motif. The paper tone is warm, and the hat itself is rendered in thin washes of creamy color with tight, controlled line work. Look closely, and you can see how Emanuel returns to the same areas again and again, building up densities of tone to evoke the soft folds of the fabric. The lighter touch used for the smaller studies gives them a more ghostly feel. I find myself thinking about the relationship between seeing and touching, how Emanuel encourages us to trace the forms with our eyes, as if running our fingers over its delicate surface. It reminds me of Agnes Martin, whose subtle grids and washes of color invite a similar kind of quiet contemplation. Ultimately, this drawing is a reminder that art isn't just about representation, it's about process, and the act of looking closely at the world around us.