Bottle 1935 - 1942

This drawing of a bottle was made by Frank Fumagalli using graphite on paper. I’m seeing a decanter with a faceted stopper, and I'm thinking about what it must have been like to sit and draw every single one of those little lines, repeating them over and over to give the bottle depth and shine. There’s something so meditative about that, about putting in the time and effort to capture every detail. Fumagalli is doing it with a humble pencil, pushing it ever so slightly to create the illusion of light. It makes you wonder what was going through his mind. Was he thinking about the bottle itself, or was his mind wandering? I bet he felt a sense of peace and accomplishment as he added each little line, like he was building something beautiful and lasting. I think it gives us permission to slow down, to notice the small things, and to appreciate the beauty that's all around us.