Preserve Jar c. 1939

Alfred Parys made this picture of a preserve jar from watercolor and graphite. The way he’s built up these layers of brown, you can almost smell the earthy clay of the jar itself. Look closely, and you’ll see how the texture is built from countless tiny marks, like he’s gently coaxing the jar into existence. There’s this dark, drippy stain right in the middle, kind of spooky, but it also gives the jar a story, like it’s been through things. The color is so rich, like caramelized sugar, and those little scratches on the surface, they catch the light just so. It reminds me of Giorgio Morandi, another artist who found endless fascination in simple vessels, turning them into these quiet, monumental presences. With the most humble materials, Parys coaxes out a range of tones. Art is like that, a conversation across time, each artist adding their voice to the mix.