Pitcher 1935 - 1942

This golden brown watercolor of a pitcher was made by Samuel W. Ford at an unknown date. The painting shows a pitcher embellished with deer and grapes. You know, sometimes I feel like the most ordinary objects have stories to tell; Ford saw this in the pitcher. I can imagine Ford in his studio, hunched over, carefully layering the watercolor to build up the pitcher's form and texture. See how the handle is also a snake? The highlights catch the curves just so, giving the pitcher a lustrous, almost magical quality. It looks like it is not a painting, but light is emanating from it. The deer, frozen in mid-leap, and the grapes create a scene of abundance and vitality. It reminds me a little of the work of Charles Burchfield, who also found the extraordinary in everyday American life. Ford makes me think about how objects can hold cultural meanings, reflecting our desires, beliefs, and stories.