Untitled c. 1940s

Judith Rothschild made this untitled gouache on board, we don't know exactly when, but I'd guess mid-century. I really love the muted palette here, it’s like these shapes are playing a game of quiet hide-and-seek. Look how she teases us with these colors—a dash of blue here, a rust-colored block there—they're not shouting for attention, but they definitely hold their ground. And the shapes! They’re so simple, almost like cut-outs from a child’s art project, but the way they overlap and interact creates such a sophisticated dance across the surface. See that black curvy shape in the upper left? The line is thick, almost like a solid thing. It’s playful, like Calder’s wire sculptures, but grounded in paint. Rothschild reminds me of other artists like Sophie Taeuber-Arp, who juggled abstraction and playfulness with a similar light touch. It's a reminder that art is not about answers but about keeping the conversation going.