Water or Wine Jug c. 1939

Nicholas Amantea made this intriguing still life of a Water or Wine Jug, sometime in the mid-20th century. What I love here is how the blue contour lines create a sense of volume while remaining flat, cartoonish almost. Amantea carefully renders this vessel, which I imagine was sitting right in front of him. I wonder if it really contained water or wine, or if it was empty. Were there any fish or birds swimming around it? There’s something so charming about these hand-painted motifs, and the way they interact with the stripes. The artist seems to be in conversation with the folk-art tradition, playing with the same materials and imagery, but transforming them through his own vision. Painters are always looking at each other, across time and space, and what results is a constant exchange of ideas. This is a great example of the ambiguity of art and how it welcomes diverse readings and interpretations.