Water or Wine Keg c. 1940

Editor: Here we have Giacinto Capelli's "Water or Wine Keg," created around 1940. It appears to be a watercolor drawing of an earthenware keg. There’s something almost rustic and homey about it. It makes me think of a countryside kitchen. What catches your eye in this piece? Curator: Oh, isn't it delightful? It's more than just a keg; it whispers stories. I’m imagining Capelli, perhaps a gentle soul, finding beauty in the everyday. Notice the slightly uneven, hand-painted quality of the floral decorations. It’s a touch imperfect, a little wobbly, and incredibly charming. Like a memory of wildflowers painted directly onto a vessel, maybe even under the influence of a sip of… well, water or wine! Does it not bring forth memories of your grandparent's kitchen somehow? Editor: I see what you mean, the handmade quality does add warmth. I'd originally thought it was actually a photograph of the physical ceramic, but the charm and imperfections really sell the hand-painted aspect. I wonder, why this object? What might a water or wine keg have meant to Capelli? Curator: Aha, now you're asking the big questions! It could be about celebrating simple pleasures. Perhaps it represents abundance or a connection to nature. The Keg becomes more than just something functional – it becomes symbolic. Capelli transforms the mundane to the sublime, making us think about the rituals of sharing and nourishment, about life, itself. Editor: So, by choosing such a humble object, he elevates it. I guess I was too quick to dismiss it as just a keg. I will never see such artworks the same. Curator: Precisely. And that, my dear Editor, is the magic of art – seeing the extraordinary in the ordinary.