Silver Pitcher 1935

Giacinto Capelli made this drawing of a silver pitcher sometime around 1935. Look at how he’s built up the form with delicate strokes of graphite, especially on the body of the jug, letting the light gleam on its surface. I'm thinking about Capelli, sitting in his studio, squinting, and trying to capture the way light bounces off the metal. The shading and intricate line work of the jug really highlights its curves and angles. It's so precise, so controlled, and yet I imagine he’s trying to loosen up, to get a sense of the metal, its weight and feel. It looks like a quiet, focused moment. Painters are always in conversation, you know? Taking something from the past, responding to each other's ways of seeing. We all have that little jug inside us somewhere, don't we? Filled with our hopes and uncertainties, rendered with our own delicate lines.