Melodeon c. 1938

This watercolor of a Melodeon was made by Edna C. Rex, a painter born in 1855. It's amazing to think of her, brush in hand, trying to capture not just the look, but maybe the very essence of this instrument. I can almost see her, squinting, mixing those muted browns and blacks, trying to get the light just right on that polished wood. Think about the focus it must have taken, the way the eye jumps from detail to detail, trying to make sense of how everything fits together. It's like a puzzle, isn't it? Each brushstroke carefully placed to build up the form. And the curves! Those legs are wild. There is a real love of craft here in the painting, but also in the object depicted. Rex’s Melodeon stands out in a tradition of artists depicting musical instruments. The surrealist painter Giorgio de Chirico also comes to mind. It reminds us that painting is an ongoing conversation, a way for artists to connect across time and inspire each other. It's not about having all the answers, but about embracing the questions and possibilities.