Flatiron c. 1937

This small watercolor of a flatiron, an old pressing iron, was made by Gene Luedke. The layering of color, the umber and grey tones, gives the object a strong sense of weight, like a memory made solid. Look closely at the body of the iron; the subtle gradations of color create a kind of topographic map. You can imagine Luedke building up the image slowly, each wash of color revealing new form. There is a real tenderness in the way Luedke approaches this everyday object, ennobling it with this slow, careful process. It makes me think of the still life paintings of Giorgio Morandi. Both artists find endless potential in the quiet observation of simple forms. Like Morandi, Luedke reminds us that beauty and meaning can be found in the most humble of subjects. Art is not just about grand gestures, but about the slow, meditative act of seeing.