Sporting Watch c. 1936

Harry G. Aberdeen made this watercolor rendering of an "Improved Sporting Watch," but the date it was made is unknown. I’m really struck by the precision and the way Aberdeen renders the watch's form with such crispness and detail. Imagine Aberdeen carefully mixing those golden hues, trying to capture the glint of the metal. The lines of the clock face are so clean! I wonder what he was thinking as he painted each tiny number and hand? Was he interested in the watch itself, or the challenge of representing its intricate design? I love the little inscription Aberdeen added "twice actual size." It adds this humorous and self-aware aspect to the picture. It reminds us that painting is a dance between reality and representation, a way of seeing and thinking about the world in a new light. Aberdeen really makes me consider the conversation artists have with one another across time, inspiring each other's creativity.