Candlestick c. 1937

John Dana made this drawing of a candlestick, in what looks like watercolor, paying close attention to the way light reflects on its surface. You can see how the emerald green pigment pools and flows, creating a sense of depth and volume. The way Dana handles this single color shows an understanding of painting as a process of layering and blending to achieve the right effect. Up close, the variations in the green are amazing, from near-black shadows to almost translucent highlights. Notice, for example, the subtle gradations on the base of the candlestick, where the color suggests both the form and the way light bounces off it. There's something quite meditative about the way Dana seems to have gotten lost in the act of describing a simple object. Dana's almost scientific observation reminds me of the still life paintings of Giorgio Morandi, who was also dedicated to exploring the world through everyday objects. Both artists show us that art is as much about seeing as it is about knowing.