Natura Morta 1948

This is Giorgio Morandi's *Natura Morta*, painted with oils, and honestly, I’m not sure exactly when. Morandi seems to be reaching for something elemental and meditative, like a quiet hum in the studio. The painting’s surface is really interesting. Up close, you can see how Morandi worked the paint, almost dry brushing it in places to build up subtle textures. Look at that bottle in the center - how it seems to emerge from the gray background. The colours are muted, almost like he mixed a bit of dust into every hue. Morandi reminds me a bit of Agnes Martin, in the sense of how both artists do repetition with very subtle variation. But where Martin goes for ethereal lightness, Morandi is earthier, more grounded. Ultimately, the beauty of Morandi's work is in its ambiguity, inviting us to slow down and really *see*.