Sugar bowl with flowers c. 1935

This is a sugar bowl with flowers, made by Pirkenhammer. Look at the way the flowers are painted – each one is like a little burst of blue, a tiny explosion of color on the smooth, white surface. There's a rhythm to their placement, a simple repetition that’s kind of hypnotic. The gold trim around the edges feels like a little wink of opulence. Imagine holding it. The cool, hard ceramic in your hands, the delicate weight of the lid. Think about the hands that painted those flowers, each one a little different, each one a testament to the artist's touch. It reminds me a bit of Matisse's cut-outs, in the way it uses simple shapes and colors to create a feeling of joy and exuberance. It’s a little object, but it holds a whole world of beauty and imagination.