Sperm Oil Lamp c. 1938

John Dana made this drawing of a sperm oil lamp with graphite and watercolor, and looking at it, I feel like he was having a love affair with light! It's all about capturing how light reflects and refracts through this delicate, translucent object. Imagine Dana, squinting, carefully layering washes of watercolor to build up the subtle gradations of tone, trying to get that shimmer just right. It's like he's not just drawing a lamp, but also drawing the essence of illumination itself. You can almost feel the artist's breath held as he coaxes the graphite to describe the curves and contours of the glass, a tangible, real thing. It's a bit like Morandi in a way, where everyday objects become these monumental studies in form and tone. It's not just about accuracy; it's about the artist's relationship with the object, and how that relationship translates into the image.