Pitcher c. 1941

This is Henry Moran's "Pitcher," and it looks like it's made with watercolor. With the all-over, one-tone coloration, it's clear Moran was really exploring the object, almost like a study in form and decoration. What I really notice are all the decorative elements on the pitcher: the curving, stylized plant forms that look hand-painted. You can really see that here, with the careful application of layered pigment. It's not a flashy painting, but it's so dedicated to the process of representing something, and in that, it becomes really beautiful. It makes me think of Giorgio Morandi's still lifes: both artists take these very humble, everyday objects and, through the act of painting, elevate them. The painting becomes more about the act of looking and trying to understand something simple, but profound. It really shows how art can embrace quiet observation.