Jar c. 1940

Carl Buergerniss painted this earthy jar with watercolors sometime in the first half of the twentieth century. I can imagine Buergerniss in his studio, squinting at the object in front of him, trying to capture its subtle curves and varied textures with careful strokes of his brush. You can see the build-up of pigment in the darker areas, and the delicate washes that create the gentle gradations of color. This process is kind of like layering thoughts and feelings. Looking at this, I wonder if Buergerniss was thinking about the history of still life painting, or maybe the simple beauty of everyday objects. Perhaps he was just drawn to the humble form of the jar itself, finding something profound in its quiet presence, or just really wanted to make something. You know, Chardin also did this kind of thing. Painting is this ongoing conversation. Artists see what others have done and then respond, adding their own experiences. So, when we look at a painting, we're not just seeing an image, we're seeing a record of a way of seeing.