Purse c. 1937

Mabel Ritter made this drawing of a purse with colored pencil on paper, but when, we just don't know. Imagine her making this drawing! Starting with the grid-like structure, maybe filling in the colors block by block. It’s almost like a painting built up from tiny tiles. The pinks and greens on the upper band and the lower register give it a somewhat folksy and charming quality. I'm curious to know about those figures in the middle. They seem to be men wearing blue hats and breeches. What are they doing here? What might Mabel have been thinking of? Perhaps she saw it on a tapestry or textile and was drawn to this simple form of image-making, where each mark is like a tiny decision. Each motif is carefully considered, almost mathematical, yet the overall effect is quite lively. Mabel's drawing feels like a record of something she saw, or maybe even something she imagined! It invites us to consider the simple beauty of everyday life and the stories we tell ourselves through art.