Silver Salver c. 1936

This ‘Silver Salver’ was made by Vincent Carano. The soft graphite and subtle gradations are a real testament to the craft. Look closely, and you’ll see how Carano coaxes the light across the surface, that soft sheen achieved with thousands of tiny marks. It’s painstaking, the way he articulates the ornate edges, each scroll and flourish rendered with care, yet without laboring the point. The eye is drawn into the quiet center, where the initials are just barely visible, like a secret whispered. I love how the softness of the rendering contrasts with the sharp edges of the design, that sense of controlled freedom. It reminds me of some of those Old Master drawings, all about tone and texture. Though, of course, Carano gives it his own spin. With drawing, as with painting, it’s never about perfection, it’s about the conversation, the questions we ask, and the stories we tell.