Hasp from Door of "Kennedy Farm" 1935 - 1942

Albert Rudin made this study of a hasp from the door of "Kennedy Farm" with watercolor on paper. The painting is an illusion, carefully built up in layers. Look at the shades of brown, how they capture the textures of rust and decay. I'm picturing Rudin, bending over this object with his brushes, trying to record every detail of a humble object. What was he thinking? Was he contemplating its function, its history, or just the challenge of rendering it in paint? I'm drawn to the little bent nails floating next to the hasp. There is something so poignant about their uselessness, and the fact that the artist cared to paint them anyway. I think about other painters who have also taken humble objects as their subject matter, artists like Giorgio Morandi or even someone like, oh I don’t know, me?! There is something about focusing on the everyday that elevates it, offering a new way of seeing and thinking about the world. Ultimately, all artists are in conversation with each other across time, inspiring new ways of seeing and interpreting the world.