Crock c. 1936

Hedwig Emanuel made this watercolour painting of a crock, but when exactly, we don't know. Look at those earthy browns and blues! I can imagine Emanuel carefully building up the layers, those subtle shifts of tone creating the illusion of form, and sympathise. The paint looks thin, almost translucent, allowing the paper's surface to subtly shimmer through. Those dark blue painted flowers feel so intentional against the beige. It must have been hard to get it so precise, but I suppose she had the real deal in front of her, which must have helped. And there’s something so pleasing about the muted palette. This feels like a dialogue with the past, like Emanuel is chatting with other artists across time and space, riffing on still life, but making it her own. It's a beautiful reminder that art is an ongoing conversation, and we're all invited to join in.