Mug 1939

This is Giacinto Capelli’s drawing of a mug, made with graphite and watercolor. Capelli’s life spanned a period of immense social and political change, witnessing Italy’s transformation from a collection of states to a unified nation. The mug, a seemingly simple object, carries within it a wealth of social history. In the late 19th century, new forms of industrial production made items such as this more widely accessible. Who would have used such a mug? What class or gender? Was it for a child or an adult? Consider how everyday objects shape our understanding of the past. Capelli's rendering invites us to reflect on the narratives embedded in design, connecting the artistry of the object to the lives of those who might have held it in their hands.