Plow c. 1938

John Thorsen, who lived a long life, made this artwork called ‘Plow’ using what looks like watercolour, at some point in the 20th century. I’m immediately struck by the soft sepia palette, how the shades bleed into each other, giving the impression of something aged, and well-worn. What I find really beautiful about it is its stark simplicity. Thorsen’s focus on the texture of the wood and metal, the gentle gradations of tone, makes you want to reach out and touch it. Look at the way the light catches the blade, and how the wooden handles curve in a way that seems shaped to the human hand, inviting connection. You can almost feel the weight and heft of the object. It reminds me of some of Charles Sheeler’s paintings of barns, in the way it captures an essential, idealized vision of American rural life. But this is simpler, more direct. It offers a reverence for the tools that shape our lives. The beauty is in the details, in the everyday.