Cap c. 1936

Jessie M. Benge made this little watercolor drawing of a cap, we don’t know when, but it feels light and quick, like a breath. The whole image is built up of such delicate marks, hatched together, especially in the creamy whites of the fabric. These almost tremble on the page. Then you get to the red stripes and geometric patterning, and there’s this lovely contrast between the loose sketchiness and the more controlled, decorative elements. Look at the bow right on top, the way she renders its folds and curves with such economy. You can almost feel the softness of the fabric and the precision of her observation, all at once. It reminds me a bit of some of Manet’s more intimate watercolors, especially the way he could capture the fleeting details of fashion and domestic life with such immediacy. But here, with Benge, there’s an added layer of tenderness, a quiet attention to the humble beauty of everyday objects. It’s just a cap, but it’s also a little world.