Small Sugar Bowl c. 1936

This "Small Sugar Bowl" was made by Thomas Holloway, sometime around the late 18th or early 19th century. I love how simple it is. It's just a humble little sugar bowl, depicted with such care. The watercolor is applied in thin, almost translucent layers, which gives the bowl a delicate, porcelain-like quality. The soft grays and blues create a sense of quiet elegance, but it's the details that really grab me. Look at the way Holloway captures the light reflecting off the glazed surface, with those subtle highlights and shadows. It’s really lovely. The rendering of the handles and the small floral decorations show an attempt to capture the actual size of the bowl, not just the appearance. In its precise and loving observation of a humble object, it makes me think of Morandi and his bottles. There’s something deeply satisfying about finding beauty in the everyday.