Pewter Mug c. 1936

Charles Cullen's drawing presents a pewter mug, a common vessel from a bygone era when communal drinking and social rituals were deeply intertwined. Consider the mug's handle; its graceful curve, echoing gestures found in ancient Greek amphorae, or even the way a supplicant might extend a hand. The act of grasping, of holding, is universal. Think how in medieval tapestries, the chalice, similarly shaped, symbolizes not mere sustenance but spiritual communion. The mug, then, becomes more than a drinking vessel. The polished surface reflects light and distorts the surroundings, like a memory altered by time. The drawing is an act of preservation, a conscious attempt to anchor this object in our memory. The mug may be simple, but it carries echoes of conviviality, community, and shared human experience. Just like the images that resurface in our collective consciousness.