Pocket Manicure c. 1939

Alfred Walbeck made 'Pocket Manicure' with watercolors, and it’s got this gentle, almost ghostly vibe. I can imagine him carefully rendering each tool, maybe lost in thought about who might have owned them, or the stories those hands could tell. I like to think he took care with the details, like the little inscription ‘William Carruthers’ on one of the tools—a personal touch amidst the clean, almost sterile arrangement. Walbeck’s choice to paint these everyday objects feels tender and poignant. It's as if he's inviting us to appreciate the simple things, giving them a kind of quiet importance. It's a painting that reminds me of the beauty in the mundane, much like Morandi's still lifes. It's this shared attention to ordinary objects that links these artists across time, inspiring new ways of seeing.