Candlestick c. 1936

Arthur Wegg made this watercolour of a candlestick, and when you look at it you just know he was a precise kind of guy. The way he’s captured the candle in all its cylindrical glory, perched atop the curlicued metal stand, it’s all so exact! You can see how carefully he's rendered the subtle gradations of light and shadow playing across the surface. I get the sense that Wegg wasn't just painting what he saw, but also what he knew about candlesticks – their weight, their balance, their place in the home. And I can see him, maybe in his studio, contemplating the form, trying to get every little detail just right. It makes you think about the quiet satisfaction that comes from really looking at something, and then trying to capture it on paper. It’s about seeing and knowing.