Vinegar Measure 1939

Clarence Secor made this painting of a humble, wooden vinegar measure sometime around 1939. I can imagine Secor carefully rendering the object's simple form, paying close attention to the subtle variations in tone and texture. You can almost feel the weight of the wood and the coolness of the liquid it once held. The pale, creamy background gives the object a quiet presence. What was Secor thinking about? Maybe he was drawn to its utilitarian beauty, its history etched into every grain and groove. Maybe he was celebrating the everyday, finding art in the mundane. There's a modesty here that reminds me of other artists who find meaning in the ordinary, like Morandi with his bottles, or even Van Gogh with his boots. It's like they're all saying: look closer, there's more here than you think. Painting can do that, can't it? It makes us slow down and really see.