Goblet 1939

Ralph Atkinson made this drawing of a goblet, and from the look of it, likely using pencil and maybe some watercolor. I can almost feel the artist studying the way light moves through the glass, trying to capture its delicate dance. It's a humble process, mark by mark. The surface is alive with subtle variations. See how Atkinson uses thin, almost invisible lines to suggest the goblet’s transparency, layering them to build up density where the glass curves. Then, in the little details – the tiny embossed shapes on the goblet itself – there's a real sense of physicality, a sense of the artist really looking. That rim of tiny bobbles! It reminds me of Morandi, maybe it’s the humble subject matter, or maybe it’s the close observation of something simple. Atkinson isn’t trying to trick us, it’s a reminder of the magic that can be found in the everyday. It’s a quiet work, it doesn't shout, but it hums with a certain kind of devotion.