Mug c. 1940

Isidore Steinberg made this painting of a mug, and it's like he's inviting us to consider the process of seeing. The colours feel warm, honeyed, like sunlight through glass. The paint is laid down in layers, so you can really see the careful build-up of tone and texture. Look closely at the handle, how it swirls and loops, almost like it's melting into the mug itself. It's so tactile, you can almost feel the glass under your fingertips. And the way the light catches those ridges, it's just beautiful. You know, it's funny, something as simple as a mug, and it becomes this whole world of colour and form. It puts me in mind of Giorgio Morandi and his bottles; Steinberg shows that the everyday, the overlooked, can be a source of endless fascination, as well as ongoing visual conversation between artists across time. It is a reminder that art doesn’t need to shout to be heard, it can whisper and still be powerful.