Calash c. 1936

Fanchon Larzelere made "Calash" with watercolor and graphite on paper. I imagine Larzelere, in her studio, hunched over this piece, meticulously building the form. Look at those soft graphite lines and the subtle washes of pale green. It’s not just a depiction; it's a construction, a kind of quiet architecture. It’s almost as if she’s not just painting a hat, but building a secret language through form. I wonder what she was thinking about as she painted, and what it might have been like for her to create this particular piece. The folds are so gentle, the color so muted. This work has a feeling of almost dreamlike stillness. I am reminded of the work of other artists like Agnes Martin, with its similar appreciation of subtle variations in color and form. Artists like Larzelere and Martin are in an ongoing conversation and exchange of ideas across time, inspiring one another’s creativity.