Pewter Porringer c. 1936

Charles Cullen made this drawing of a pewter porringer, and I can only imagine he enjoyed the quiet work of observing this object. There's something so meditative about the way the graphite reveals the form. It's smooth, careful, almost like he's caressing it with his pencil. You know, drawing objects like this is like having a conversation with it, finding out its secrets. The subtle gradations, the way the light catches on the rim... it's all so delicate. I bet Cullen got lost in the details of the handle. And the way he includes the technical specs in a wee diagram at the bottom, it makes me think he was interested in the craftsmanship of it, too. It reminds me of those Giorgio Morandi still life paintings, so humble and quiet. It makes you want to slow down and really look. It's a reminder that sometimes the simplest things are the most beautiful. And that looking closely at things is, you know, an art form.