Pot 1941

Curator: Take a look at this, this watercolor drawing, entitled "Pot," was created by Giacinto Capelli in 1941. Editor: My first thought is that it's not very dynamic, almost stolid. There is a peculiar, deliberate… weight to the composition, the muted ochre hue adding a very earthy feel. Curator: Yes, while executed in watercolor, the image replicates a ceramic pot, and one imagines an actual pot made with fairly simple tools, perhaps even rudimentary. Do you see any possible folk motifs? Editor: It definitely looks hand-painted; you see slight variations in the lines and the placement of the cobalt blue dots—not mass-produced, hinting at someone crafting something by hand and for specific purposes, perhaps to be consumed later… Curator: Precisely. These 'wings' could symbolize protection, freedom… even prosperity, while the circular elements remind us of growth cycles, fertility. Are we dealing with more than just an object for mere daily use? Editor: I would assume so. You mention the "protection" afforded the user. Given the date, 1941, perhaps this symbolizes a longing for simpler times, safety during war... but beyond the image itself, consider how Capelli selected the materials to mimic texture and suggest mass. Why not focus instead on industrial creation or destruction? This choice of watercolor seems significant. Curator: Indeed. Capelli prompts consideration of what's really "essential"—continuity, memory carried via simple things... a pot embodying the collective effort of a society at work. Editor: The beauty lies in seeing not just a container, but rather, what humans pour into them–our labors, and needs... which in this case Capelli preserves on paper with these earthy tones. It offers a glimpse into our relationship with these useful and humble objects. Curator: Absolutely. This work provides rich food for reflection. Editor: Precisely: for consumption, contemplation, connection to people through things and vice versa.