Mug c. 1937

This 'Mug' was made with pencil and watercolour by Giacinto Capelli, though we don't know when. The way Capelli's rendered the diamond pattern around the middle feels really precise but also fragile, like you could just breathe on it and it would fade. You can see the careful use of thin, watery layers to build up form. There’s something about that translucence that makes it feel almost like a ghost of a mug. The thin washes of color create depth and luminosity, and the pencil work is very clear. This piece has echoes of Giorgio Morandi in its quiet contemplation of everyday objects and their forms. Like Morandi, Capelli transforms something simple into a subject of intense scrutiny and beauty, making us see the extraordinary in the ordinary. It reminds us that art is an ongoing conversation.