Platter c. 1937

This oval platter with floral design was made by Joseph Sudek, using an unknown medium. It's a delicate balancing act, this drawing, with its muted palette of pinks, purples, and golds. I can almost feel Sudek's hand moving across the page, coaxing these gentle forms into existence. He uses fine, almost hesitant lines. I wonder if he saw the platter as a canvas, a quiet space for a burst of organic growth? The flowers and stems are painted with a soft, diffused light, creating a dreamlike quality, like a half-remembered summer afternoon. It reminds me of Morandi’s still life paintings – the way he isolates everyday objects, elevating them to something almost holy. It's like Sudek is saying, "Look at this simple platter, see the beauty in the mundane." And I do. I really do. It makes me want to pick up my own brush and start seeing the world with that kind of tender attention. Artists, we're always in conversation, aren't we?