15231 („Was erfreut das Publikum …“) 1931

John Elsas made this little watercolor, ink, and graphite drawing on paper sometime around 1931. What a strange character this is! I imagine Elsas playing, testing out the possibilities of watercolor and ink. See how the blue figure emerges with layers of watery washes, the pigment settling into the paper, creating these soft, textural effects. What was he thinking when he decided on that curious hat, a little world of its own perched atop the figure's head? The dark ink that defines the figure seems to hold it together. Notice the confident, almost mischievous gesture in that little outstretched arm. This piece reminds me of other artists who embraced playful mark-making, like Paul Klee. Artists like Elsas and Klee show us the power of art to explore the realms of imagination, opening up new ways of seeing and thinking about the world. Isn't that what painting is all about anyway?