Silver Mug c. 1937

Vincent Carano made this drawing of a silver mug sometime in the 20th century, we're not sure exactly when, using what looks like graphite pencil on paper. What strikes me is how Carano builds the form with careful layers, a bit like glazing in painting. Look at the subtle gradations of tone; the way the light catches the curves and the cylindrical form. There is a kind of deep looking in this work, a clear desire to try and understand how light behaves on metal. The horizontal lines accentuate the shape, anchoring the mug in space. It reminds me a little of Giorgio Morandi and his still life paintings, also driven by the quiet observation of simple forms. Both artists share this interest in art as a process, and the possibility of finding something new within repetition. There's no one way to see this mug, let it be whatever it is.