Silver Beaker 1935 - 1942

Hester Duany made this silver beaker on paper, sometime in the mid twentieth century. Look at the beautiful range of grays; it’s as though Duany is investigating this object, trying to capture its essence through the subtle shifts in tone. There’s something about the way Duany builds up the form with delicate strokes that feels intimate, almost like a meditation. The surface of the beaker isn’t perfectly smooth; you can see the gentle variations in the metal, the way light catches and reflects in different areas. See how these gradations give the object depth and presence, making it feel almost tangible. It is not just an image of a beaker, but an object in itself. I’m reminded of Giorgio Morandi's still lifes – the way he, too, could transform everyday objects into something poetic and profound. Both artists remind us to slow down, to really look at the world around us, and to find beauty in the simplest of things.