Sealskin Cap c. 1940

Dana Bartlett made this watercolor of a Sealskin Cap at an unknown date. It's all about how Bartlett builds up the form with these short, quick strokes, suggesting the dense, tactile quality of the fur. This isn't just a picture of a cap; it's a study in textures and tones. Look closely, and you can see how the brown paint varies from dark chocolate to a lighter, almost golden hue, giving the cap a real sense of depth. The way the paint is applied, it almost feels like you could reach out and feel the individual hairs. It’s not about perfect realism, but about capturing the essence of the object through the materiality of the paint. The slightly skewed, flattened perspective reminds me of Alex Katz, but with a greater emphasis on texture. Like Katz, Bartlett shows us that art is an ongoing conversation, full of echoes and reinterpretations. This cap, like any artwork, offers us a space to ponder, question, and feel.