Pa. German Butter Mold c. 1938

This is Franklyn Syres’s study of a Pa. German Butter Mold, but when it was made, I couldn’t say. The muted colors are soothing. It's easy to see the way that Syres uses drawing to record and represent the original object. The texture of the print gives the object a sense of depth that belies its simple construction. The image isn't just flat; it has this sculptural quality, almost like a low relief. The color is mostly uniform across the work, but the careful use of light and shadow gives it a kind of glow. It’s like he’s inviting you to reach out and touch it, to feel the carvings yourself. It reminds me a bit of some of the work of Alex Katz, where the everyday is imbued with significance through careful mark-making. Ultimately, it's a reminder that art isn't just about what we see, but how we see it.