Potato Masher c. 1937

Marie Alain made this watercolor of a potato masher, and looking at it, I start thinking about all the painters who turned everyday objects into something monumental. Think about Morandi, who spent his whole life painting bottles. This potato masher, floating in space, it's got that same kind of quiet focus. It's not splashy, but there's a real sense of care in the way Alain renders the wood grain, the subtle shadows. You can almost feel the weight of it in your hand, imagine the rhythm of mashing potatoes. I wonder if she chose it because it was a tool from her own kitchen. It's like she's saying, "This is my world, this is what I see, and it's worth paying attention to."