Lady's Cap c. 1937

Curator: Edna C. Rex crafted this delicate piece, "Lady's Cap," around 1937 using drawing, acrylic paint, watercolor, and colored pencil on paper. It has an interesting mix of materials and methods for one single piece! Editor: It feels so ethereal and innocent. The soft colours and the subject matter—it evokes such a specific sense of childhood fragility. Curator: Absolutely. Let's consider the processes at play here. Combining watercolor with the precision of drawing suggests Rex carefully layered media, embracing the qualities inherent in each to depict fabric. How fascinating, in a way she has highlighted that which is worn closest to the body with such sensitivity, as though it offers her some solace. Editor: Yes, there's almost a sacramental quality. The lady’s cap carries powerful symbolic weight—shelter, protection, vulnerability. The attention paid to its construction, especially the lacework embroidery rendered as subtle whorls and almost floral motifs—echoes of maternal care, even divine grace perhaps. It recalls those Dutch still lives. Curator: Thinking about materiality again, watercolor, unlike oils, demands immediacy. Every stroke is laid bare. It makes one consider the physical effort Rex poured into this artwork. Was she hoping to highlight something about feminine skill? Or feminine virtue? Editor: Perhaps both? Caps of this type often appear in portraits as status markers of class and maturity. Here it is isolated and brought forth without any external identifiers – thus speaking, rather, to core universal themes and to ideas beyond status: to motherhood and nurture. A powerful connection. Curator: Indeed. Looking closely, one might wonder what kinds of narratives Rex wanted us to consider regarding the historical social fabric which informs our views of objects. Editor: The imagery becomes something like a cultural reliquary, and through Rex's thoughtful application it transforms into something sacred, beyond the immediate practical item, pointing to something far beyond that simple material. Curator: Exactly. An intriguing piece of craftsmanship which allows for reflection of not just historical clothing practices but our own personal social construction as well. Editor: This cap's unassuming nature really contains a depth of symbolism once you begin to unpack the careful application of all those various choices regarding symbolism, motif and color... wonderful.