Silver Mug 1935 - 1942

Vincent Carano's 'Silver Mug' is a drawing, and what strikes me is the way it's caught somewhere between observation and invention. It's like Carano is thinking through the mug, not just depicting it. The color palette is, well, silver, with delicate graphite lines describing the form. There's an under-drawing of a smaller version too, complete with precise measurements, which gives this piece a technical feel, but in a strange way. I mean, this isn't just cold rendering; it's got a warmth in its attention to the material. Look at how the light seems to sit on the surface. And the way those horizontal lines ripple and curve… It reminds me a little of Giorgio Morandi, but maybe with a bit of Roy Lichtenstein's comic book feel, even though this is much earlier. It's a quiet piece, full of possibility and reminds us that art is an ongoing conversation.