Plate c. 1936

Albert Eyth made this plate, with I'm guessing watercolor, on paper, sometime in the 20th century. It's such a sweet image, with its simple flower motif. The way Eyth uses this stippled effect for the blue rim makes me think about process. Look at the texture around the edge; each little mark seems intentionally placed, giving the whole piece a kind of handmade, folksy feel. I imagine Eyth carefully dabbing the paint to create this effect. There’s something really satisfying about seeing the artist's hand so clearly in the work. The way he layers the colors, especially in the petals of the flower, creates a sense of depth and vibrancy. It makes me think a little of Arthur Dove in it’s simplicity of form and use of watercolor, there is this ongoing conversation between artists across time about how to create images that are deeply personal and connected to the world around them. Eyth embraces this ambiguity, inviting us to see the beauty in the everyday.