Grease Lamp c. 1940

Henry Moran made this Grease Lamp, and goodness, doesn't it just glow from within? The simplicity of the object is matched by the complexity of rendering that dark surface, and the whole thing looks like it was an intense labour. The way the lamp is painted makes it feel like it's lit from within. See the way Moran captures the light reflecting off the lamp's glossy surface? Each highlight is carefully placed, suggesting not just the form of the lamp but also its material presence. The brushstrokes are economical but deliberate, giving the lamp a sense of solidity and weight. It’s a painting about light and shadow and how they define what we see. Look at the very bottom of the lamp where the shadow pools around the base. There’s a real depth there, a sense of the object sinking into the picture plane. It reminds me of the still life paintings of Giorgio Morandi. It's like he's inviting us to contemplate not just the object itself, but also the very act of looking.