Waistcoat c. 1937

This watercolor drawing of a waistcoat was made by Melita Hofmann at an unknown date. The purple is not one you see everyday. It's not quite a simple, flat color, but more of a textural experience. Up close, the surface of the waistcoat feels alive because Hofmann applied tiny dabs of colour, letting them accumulate into a kind of shimmering surface. It's as if the waistcoat is exhaling with tiny, coloured pixels. This reminds me of the pointillist painters, like Seurat, or even the way David Hockney builds up colour in his digital paintings. Looking at the inside of the collar, that dash of solid red, offers a jolt! It vibrates against the muted purples and greys on the outer layers. It also begs the question, who might have worn such an article? What does it mean to preserve such a singular and unique item of clothing in paint? These questions are what make art so interesting, it isn’t about answers, but more about possibilities.