Washington Eagle Flask c. 1942

V.L. Vance made this watercolor drawing of a Washington Eagle Flask, but we don't know exactly when. The way Vance has depicted the flask, it feels almost like a memory, or an x-ray. You know, something that's there, but not really. The light blue wash is applied really thinly across the surface of the paper, it’s a very delicate tone. The marks that define the form of the flask have been drawn with purpose and confidence, but also kind of softly. It looks like Vance made this drawing quickly, not fussing too much about the details. I like the simple palette, it kind of mutes the patriotism of the imagery! There is a softness to the drawing that really helps to evoke the flask, but also keeps it at arms length, like an illusion. This reminds me of Giorgio Morandi’s paintings of bottles, where the shapes and forms are more important than the object itself.