Hand Bottle Corker c. 1940

Ray Price made this watercolor of a Hand Bottle Corker at some point, we don't know exactly when. The first thing that gets me is how meticulously and lovingly the artist has described this object, through careful shading, subtle variations of tone, and clear, descriptive line. You can almost feel the smoothness of the wood in your own hand. I’m also struck by the feeling of space around the depicted object. The background is a washy, creamy color, and the corker appears to float in this undefined space, becoming something other than its simple function. The level of detail reminds me a little of the work of Giorgio Morandi, in the quiet way he depicts groups of bottles, attending to the subtle variations of tone on their surfaces. Here, as with Morandi, we are invited to slow down, and really look at the object in front of us. The artist is inviting us to contemplate the beauty of humble, everyday things.