Ceramic Pitcher 1935 - 1942

Ray Price made this watercolor of a ceramic pitcher sometime in the 20th century. Look at the way he’s layered the colors. It’s all about process. How does he make the form come alive through mark making? The monochromatic palette pushes our eye to the subtle nuances of tone and shadow. Price captures the smooth, reflective surface of the ceramic with these deft, fluid strokes. He’s using light to create form, and it gives the figure a certain weightiness. If you zoom in on the pitcher's face, you’ll notice how the dark, precise lines define his features. Those lines against the soft gradient of browns give him character. There’s an echo here of other American painters like Thomas Eakins who were interested in documenting everyday objects and people with a similar emphasis on realism and the qualities of light. Like a lot of art, this piece prompts more questions than it answers. It’s the artist's vision, but our own interpretation fills in the gaps.