Gong 1935 - 1942

Albert Rudin made this watercolor drawing of a gong, and it's just so wonderfully subdued. I’m imagining Rudin, back then, carefully observing this object, trying to capture its form with delicate strokes. The gong itself has this lovely, muted palette, like a soft, hazy memory. The muted colors create a quiet, almost melancholic mood, don't you think? The painting is so precise, almost technical. The details are meticulously rendered, like he's trying to understand how all the parts fit together. And I can totally relate to that! It feels like Rudin is saying, "I'm not just painting what I see, but what I know about this object." It's a bit like how other painters, like Giorgio Morandi, focused on everyday objects, elevating them through careful observation. Artists, you know, we're always in conversation with each other, across time and space. Each stroke is a reflection of that exchange, and an invitation for us to join in.