Fingerbowl c. 1929 - 1930

This Fingerbowl was crafted by an anonymous artist at an unknown date with unknown materials. The patina on this metal is incredible. There’s so much subtle variation, and I love the way it almost looks like a watercolor wash. It’s like the material itself is drawing us in. Look closely at the way the floral patterns are worked into the surface. There's something so tender and lovely about these little details. I'm just imagining the touch and pressure used to create the relief. This kind of ornamentation would be super tedious. It makes me think about the art of embellishment, and how sometimes the most meaningful gestures are the smallest ones. Much of artmaking is about this: attending to the small details, and letting the work unfold. Agnes Martin would have loved this. She always said, "beauty is the mystery of life."