Small Pot c. 1953

This is Yolande Delasser’s Small Pot, a watercolour on paper, and it feels as tender as it does matter-of-fact. I see Delasser embracing the watercolour medium, letting the washes of color bleed and mingle, almost like the unpredictable nature of clay itself. The palette is restrained, earthy, with browns and muted blues. Delasser is interested in the objectness of this pot, how the light plays across its surface, and how its simple shape speaks volumes. The texture of the pot is evoked through subtle gradations of tone, and the inscriptions, "Liberty Forever" and "Warne & Letts," give it a sense of history, of being a vessel not just for contents, but also for stories. Look at how the rim is rendered, a careful line that defines the edge, but also suggests the fragility and the handmade quality of the pot. The whole thing reads as quiet, considered observation. It reminds me of Giorgio Morandi, who also elevated the mundane through close observation, though her muted tones recall Agnes Martin's subtle colour palettes, creating a similarly meditative space for the viewer. It invites us to slow down, to appreciate the beauty in the everyday, and to recognise the history held within these unassuming forms.