Bonnet 1942

Fred Hassebrock made this Bonnet with a soft, understated palette, giving it a dreamy, vintage feel. I’m imagining Hassebrock in the studio, gently layering the paint to build the form of this hat. Look how the ribbons droop; you can feel the softness of the fabric. There is a subtle tonal gradation that gives shape to the whole piece. The texture of the hat itself is rendered with fine lines, almost like threads. It reminds me a bit of Morandi’s still lives, but instead of bottles, it’s a fancy bonnet perched on a table. What was Hassebrock thinking about when he made this piece? Was it simply a study in form and texture, or was there a deeper story he was trying to tell? It makes you wonder about the history of the object, like a little portal into a bygone era. It’s like all painting, really. A conversation across time.