Vase 1935 - 1942

This drawing of a vase was made by John Tarantino sometime during his long life. You can see, especially where the colour is layered on thick, that it’s coloured pencil, a humble material, but one that allows for a lot of control and precision. The vase sits on a surface, casting a faint shadow. Look at the way Tarantino has built up the colour in layers, how the purple deepens and intensifies toward the base. Notice the vertical strokes following the contours of the vase, each one carefully placed, and the subtle gradations of tone that give the vase its volume and form. The way Tarantino has built up the colour feels really intentional, but still direct. Tarantino’s vase reminds me of Giorgio Morandi's still life paintings, in the way that he takes a simple, everyday object and turns it into something really quite lovely.