Holy Water Font 1935 - 1942

Majel G. Claflin made this watercolour of a Holy Water Font sometime between 1893 and 1941. Look how she’s layering the browns and creams, building up this image with translucent washes. You can almost feel the paper underneath, its absorbent surface soaking up each careful stroke. Claflin is really thinking about the objectness of this font. It’s not just about depicting it; it’s about understanding its form, its texture, its history. See the way she renders the light catching on the rim? It’s like she’s tracing the memory of someone’s hand dipping in and out, over and over. There’s a real intimacy here, a connection to the everyday rituals of life. The cracks in the ceramic feel like a metaphor for the cracks in our own lives. The little imperfections, the things that make it real. I’m reminded of Agnes Martin’s quiet grids or even Giorgio Morandi's humble arrangements of bottles. It’s not about making a big statement, it’s about finding beauty in the ordinary.