Black Silk Bonnet c. 1936

B. Berndt made this drawing of a Black Silk Bonnet, we don't know when or exactly with what, but it feels so familiar. It’s all about seeing the shape, and working out the tones with such limited color – that’s painting! I find myself drawn to the inside of the bonnet, the way the light catches it. It's like a little world in there, a secret space. The marks are so direct and confident, capturing the way fabric folds and drapes. You can almost feel the texture of the silk, the way it would feel against your skin. And isn’t it interesting to see the bonnet from different angles like this, one open, one closed? It’s like Berndt wants us to really understand this object, to see it inside and out. I’m reminded of Morandi’s paintings of bottles, the way he could make the ordinary seem so extraordinary. This is art about slowing down, about really looking.