Mortar c. 1940

Walter Praefke made this drawing of a mortar, we don't know when, with an eye for the most unassuming things. It’s rendered with such care, you can almost feel the wood grain beneath your fingers, the gentle curve of the vessel inviting you to look inside. Notice how the color isn't flat, but breathes with browns and umbers, like a memory slowly coming into focus. The light catches the rim, a subtle highlight that gives the piece its volume, its weight. There’s a crack there too, a small imperfection that makes it feel real, lived in. Praefke reminds me of Morandi, finding endless inspiration in the quiet poetry of everyday objects. This drawing embraces ambiguity, inviting multiple interpretations rather than fixed meanings.