Bed 1935 - 1942

Bernard Gussow made this watercolor painting, "Bed", and you can really see the process of building up the image through transparent layers. The delicate washes of color create depth, allowing the white of the paper to shine through. Looking at the bedspread, you see these little clusters of blue, almost like polka dots, which sit softly against the white. It reminds me of a quiet dream, the kind where things aren’t too sharp or defined. And then there's the canopy, that ethereal netting, rendered with such fine lines that it seems to float above the bed. The translucency makes it feel light and airy, like it could disappear at any moment. This piece reminds me of Agnes Martin's subtle grids and quiet color palettes, but here, instead of abstraction, we have this very intimate, domestic scene. It’s a painting that invites you to pause and consider the simple beauty of everyday objects.