Purse c. 1938

Ralph Morton made this watercolour, titled ‘Purse’, on paper. It's so subtle, with soft brown washes, and look! A floral design, like a needlepoint motif, sits on the front of the purse. I can imagine Morton at work, carefully building up the tones to capture the light reflecting off the material. Maybe he’s thinking about form, texture, or how the eye perceives depth? The flowers are a nice touch and the slightly blurred edges give it a dreamy quality. The red and blue in the flowers really sing against the brown of the purse. It reminds me of the work of other watercolorists, like John Singer Sargent, but with a more intimate, domestic feel. Artists are always in conversation with one another, picking up ideas here and there, riffing on what came before. This quiet little study is an invitation to slow down and notice the beauty in everyday objects.