17664 („Hier ist zu sehen ein Menschentier …“) 1932

This little watercolor painting was made by John Elsas, though we don't know exactly when. Look at these looping pink marks that suggest the subject's flowing hair, or are they decorative embellishments, fantasies in pink? I really love how the artist embraces this simplified expression. It's like he's joyfully declaring, "Here is a creature!" I can imagine him experimenting, a child-like freedom, a bit like Joan Miró's playful spirit, where representation is secondary to the act of creation itself. The creature, rendered in swift, almost childlike strokes, challenges our expectations. The gold smudge at the back, it almost feels like an afterthought, but then again, maybe it is not! This piece reminds us that art is a conversation, not just between artists but between ourselves and the work, across time.