Lamp c. 1937

John Dana painted this "Lamp" with what looks like watercolor and graphite. It is luminous. Imagine Dana, peering intently, brush in hand, capturing the lamp's form, stroke by stroke. I wonder if they felt a kinship with the lamp, both objects designed to illuminate? Dana's painting has a soft, almost translucent quality, like a memory gently fading. See how Dana uses delicate lines to define the lamp's contours. I find myself looking at the circular indentations of the glass. Looking at this artwork, I'm reminded of the quiet observation that happens in still life, where artists find beauty in the everyday. This work also speaks to the long tradition of artists studying light, form, and color. In this way, artists are in an ongoing conversation and exchange of ideas across time, inspiring one another’s creativity.