Silver Teapot c. 1936

Giacinto Capelli made this drawing of a silver teapot; look how the artist meticulously rendered the reflections on the metallic surface. I can imagine him, carefully observing the interplay of light and shadow, trying to capture the object’s essence on paper. He's using pencil, I think, to build up these tonal layers, and the precision of the rendering makes me think he enjoyed the process. Maybe he liked the feel of the graphite on the page or got lost in the repetitive, meditative act of shading. I think, too, about how artists look at the world, really look, and how drawing is a way of seeing and understanding. It reminds me of the still-life paintings of Morandi, whose quiet, contemplative arrangements of bottles and jars invite us to slow down and appreciate the beauty of the everyday. I feel as if I’m joining a long conversation between artists, each offering their unique way of seeing and interpreting the world around them.