Water Jug c. 1938

Arthur Mathews made this watercolor painting of a water jug at an unknown date. I can imagine him squinting at this object, and the challenge of representing its curves and textures. See how the washes of pale blue and brown create the illusion of three-dimensionality. I love the way the details emerge from the surface, little flower-like forms and geometric shapes, all rendered with such care. It’s a kind of playful formalism, a deep dive into the ordinary. You know, when you look at a painting like this, you’re also seeing the history of looking itself. Mathews was probably inspired by the still life paintings he had seen, and I am inspired by his painting. It becomes a conversation across time, a reminder that art is always building on what came before, each artist adding their own voice to the chorus.