Gold Purse c. 1938

Here we see a watercolor rendering of a 'Gold Purse' by Ralph Morton. The artist must have loved the play of light, how gold shimmers and casts subtle shadows. Look closely, and you'll see the way he builds up the form with thin washes, allowing the paper's surface to peek through. This gives the gold a radiant quality, like it's glowing from within. The marks are delicate, precise, almost like embroidery. The overall effect is not about grand gestures, but a quiet, almost reverent attention to detail. The dark purple acts as a grounding element, a foil to the gold. Think of Agnes Martin and her dedication to the grid, Morton shares that meditative quality, albeit in a different register. The painting invites us to slow down and consider the beauty of ordinary objects. It reminds us that art is not always about making a big statement, but about finding the extraordinary in the everyday.