Table Glass c. 1940

Emilio Zito’s “Table Glass,” was created using watercolor and graphite on paper. Zito's artistic trajectory spanned a transformative period in art history. In the painting, a simple glass is isolated against a plain background, emphasizing form and light. The rendering is characterized by careful lines, and subtle color gradations. It’s tempting to think about the ways the piece seems to straddle the line between objective representation and subjective interpretation. How might the quotidian nature of the subject matter challenge or reinforce societal expectations about the role of art? Consider, too, how it may reflect a broader cultural interest in domesticity and the arrangement of personal spaces. Ultimately, Zito invites us to reflect on the interplay between the familiar and the extraordinary, prompting questions about what we choose to frame and cherish in our own lives.