Bean Pot c. 1939

Georgine E. Mason made this earthy pot out of paint, without a date stamp, but it sure feels like it’s from another era. I imagine Mason carefully applying diluted brown pigments, maybe sepia ink or watercolor, layer after layer, to conjure this kitchen vessel. She painstakingly builds up the tonality to give us this softly rendered, humble bean pot. I can almost see her, squinting, trying to get the light just right, capturing the subtle sheen on the ceramic. It’s as if she wants to honor the beauty in the everyday, and in doing so, she invites us to pause and appreciate the simple forms that surround us. Painters often depict objects as a way of exploring form, light, and shadow, and I think this is what Mason is doing here too. The bean pot becomes a vehicle for her to investigate these formal elements and to connect with the legacy of still-life painting. It reminds me of Morandi and his bottles! It's all connected...