Pitcher 1935 - 1942

Editor: We're looking at "Pitcher," a watercolor drawing by John Fisk, created between 1935 and 1942. It has this lovely, delicate quality. I’m curious, what stands out to you about its formal elements? Curator: The interplay of transparency and opacity is quite compelling. Observe how Fisk uses watercolor to mimic the light passing through the glass, contrasting the solid red bands with the delicate green swirls. It’s a study in materiality. Notice how line and wash combine to suggest depth on a flat plane, a sophisticated illusion. Editor: The way he uses line really makes the shape pop. Did Fisk make deliberate choices to depict glass this way? Curator: Undeniably. Consider the almost diagrammatic rendering of the form, devoid of expressive brushstrokes, except in areas of shadowing. It moves the image towards abstraction, almost flattening the image. We must appreciate how the artwork constructs meaning through pure form and skillful employment of the medium. The color choices are a conversation within themselves. Editor: I never would have considered it from an abstract view! Curator: Consider this; the artist uses these strategies of visual engagement with compositional structures that point toward form as its own end. The object exists and can thus point toward its artistic intent without needing to perform additional functions such as representation. Editor: I see what you mean! The artwork then creates an image through itself that surpasses its practical use as a container. Thanks! Curator: Indeed, it shows how an emphasis on formal analysis illuminates the artistic intention behind what seems to be a simple subject.