Cask c. 1937

Richard Barnett made this drawing of 'Cask' with graphite and watercolor. It is an image of a stoneware jar of a kind that was probably made in a factory. The rendering is so careful and considered, that the jar seems to radiate a sense of timelessness and importance. I can imagine Barnett completely absorbed in the act of painting, totally focused on every contour, shadow, and detail. The blue decoration on the cask looks like it was painted by hand, and Barnett then repainted it! There’s something deeply satisfying about the simplicity and utility of the form, like the cask exists as an archetype of a perfect container. As a painter myself, I always find myself in conversation with the many people who have looked at the world and then described what they see. This piece, and the many others in this archive, are little seeds of inspiration, reminders of the endless possibilities for seeing.