Grease Lamp c. 1939

Sarkis Erganian made this painting of a grease lamp, we don't know exactly when, but it feels like the kind of image you make when you are really looking. Look at the colours, a very reduced palette of browns and creams. The whole thing rendered in gentle strokes which give the impression of light falling across the surface of the object. You can see the hand of the artist here, especially in the shading around the bowl of the lamp. The tonal variations in the pigment suggest a turning, twisting form, a really lovely, careful act of looking. It's interesting that Erganian chose this object, a simple, functional thing. It reminds me of Morandi, who spent his life painting bottles. Both artists teach us how to really see, they remind us that beauty can be found anywhere.