Sunbonnet c. 1939

This "Sunbonnet" by Manuel G. Runyan is painted with watercolor on paper. Looking at it, I think about Runyan, born in the mid-19th century, carefully layering washes of blue, building up the form of this sunbonnet. You can almost feel the fabric, right? The way he renders the folds and creases, giving it a real sense of volume. The color palette is soft, almost muted. The blues, grays, and whites create a sense of calm and nostalgia. I wonder what the significance of the sunbonnet was for Runyan – was it a cherished object, a memory of someone dear? It reminds me of the work of other artists who focus on everyday objects, like Giorgio Morandi with his bottles, or even Wayne Thiebaud's cakes. There's something so intimate about taking the mundane and turning it into art, isn't there? And that, I think, is the beautiful thing about painting – it's a conversation across time, where artists respond to and build upon each other's visions.