Sun Bonnet c. 1939

Curator: Before us, we have "Sun Bonnet," a pencil and watercolor drawing on paper, created around 1939 by Cora Parker. Its pale, monochromatic palette gives it a soft, almost dreamlike quality. What strikes you first about this intimate portrayal? Editor: Immediately, the tight composition commands attention. The close cropping throws into relief a hat, not the subject but a symbol thereof; so in many ways, there is a tension because, despite the drawing's warmth, something or someone vital feels absent. Curator: You highlight that tension nicely. Bonnets, beyond their practical function, often represented protection and modesty in the past. Is it possible, then, that the absence you describe may subtly highlight the role that modesty can sometimes play, particularly within cultural contexts or gendered stereotypes? Editor: Quite possibly. The almost clinical execution of lines to detail the knitting pattern, or each wave and ruffle of fabric, lends itself to such interpretations of control. Look at the folds and subtle gradation in color – it’s undeniably an act of love or care. Curator: Certainly! Each delicate choice seems purposeful. We can even see the artist's hand carefully selecting the light and shade to emphasize both structure and surface. Editor: Right. A Formalist might note that this artwork creates an image in neutral tones whose focus lacks any external frame of reference, forcing us, the viewers, to consider solely internal meaning of the portrait—of which, to echo your original question, only a single item of clothing has been offered. Curator: A poignant way of framing the absence and exploring our projected interpretations of the symbolic 'Sun Bonnet.' We can begin to perceive the personal world reflected in everyday artifacts, even across generations. Editor: Exactly, it forces us to consider semiotic representation in objects rather than beings. The result of its artistic tension is thus that it provokes consideration about how, and why, we assign meaning to these absent objects, instead. Curator: These careful techniques and insightful readings demonstrate how even something simple like this study in rendering of fabric and light provides a fascinating gateway into much bigger subjects! Editor: Precisely! There is indeed, a deep and generative wellspring in the careful choices of such drawings as Parker's "Sun Bonnet".