Knife and Sheath c. 1941

Albert Rudin made this drawing of a knife and sheath, we don't know when, in what looks like watercolour. What strikes me is the almost forensic level of detail, and the earthy palette which speaks to a process rooted in observation. Look at the handle, how the subtle striations almost seem to wiggle. And the blade has those beautiful marks of age, like the map of a forgotten country. The artist's focus on texture really draws you in; the soft sheen of the sheath, the ruggedness of the handle, and the dull metallic surface of the blade. It reminds me of those surrealist object studies by people like Meret Oppenheim, but with a quiet, folksy charm. This isn't just a drawing, it's an invitation to contemplate the stories objects carry, the lives they've touched. I think Joseph Stella would have got a kick out of this. It's like a secret handshake between generations of artists!