Silver Cake Basket c. 1936

This silver cake basket was designed by Giacinto Capelli, probably in the early to mid-20th century, and beautifully rendered on paper with pencil. Look at how Capelli uses gentle shading to build the form, it’s a soft approach to something that might be considered quite rigid. It's this interest in the meeting of delicacy and solidity that’s got me hooked. The subtle shifts from light to dark give the piece a real sense of depth, a three-dimensionality that makes you want to reach out and touch it. The way the light catches the curves and edges of the silver is almost palpable. There's an exquisite little flourish there, too, with the crests and miniature sketches that seem to act as a signature or playful afterthought. It reminds me a little of Piranesi's architectural drawings, those fantastical structures that straddle the line between reality and imagination. This drawing is a celebration of form, a quiet study of the beauty of everyday objects, which feels like a conversation across time and a testament to the enduring power of art to transform the mundane into something truly extraordinary.