Pa. German Saffron Box 1935 - 1942

Charles Henning made this watercolor drawing of a Pa. German Saffron Box, a spice container, at some point in his long life. I can just see Henning hunched over his paper, carefully rendering this charming object. The drawing is so precise and loving, but I can also sense that the process has involved intuition. The colors are delicate and inviting, but also slightly off-kilter; the saffron box looks like it is blushing with a rosy pink, and the dark green lid has a beautiful shine. I love the tiny strawberries around the middle and how the leaves are very gently bending to follow the curve. Henning would likely have been very familiar with these objects: I wonder if this drawing was a form of preservation, or if he was simply interested in the beauty of the object itself. I feel as though I understand it better now than I did before. That’s what artists do, they invite you to look and look again.