Jug c. 1938

Frank Fumagalli made this watercolor drawing of a jug at an unknown date. Look at those soft greyish-brown tones and the way he’s built up the form with layers of gentle shading. You can almost feel the cool, smooth surface of the ceramic. I imagine Fumagalli carefully observing the jug, maybe turning it in his hands, noticing the way light catches its curves. The way the artist has represented the blemishes gives it a feeling of age, as if it’s been sitting on a shelf, gathering dust. There’s a smaller, almost ghostly jug in the corner with a little bird on it, like a memory or echo of the original. The way he has depicted the jug reminds me of the quiet still life paintings by Giorgio Morandi, where everyday objects become monumental. Artists are always looking at each other's work, even across time, and finding new ways to see the world through painting. Isn’t that what it’s all about?