Goblet c. 1937

Charles Garjian made this design for a goblet with graphite and watercolor wash on paper. Look at the way the gray paint has pooled, subtly building the form of the glass, layer upon layer. I imagine Garjian hunched over a table, squinting to get the reflections just right. It's a quiet, contemplative act, trying to capture the delicate light dancing on the surface of the glass. Notice the small bird at the top right? It's like a little daydream slipped into the composition. Maybe Garjian was thinking of the outdoors. The way he's rendered the goblet, with its subtle gradations of tone, reminds me of the still lifes of Giorgio Morandi. They both share that quiet intensity. It makes you think, doesn’t it, about how one artist’s focus can ripple out through time, inspiring others to find beauty in the everyday.