Jug c. 1940

Charles Caseau made this watercolor jug sometime in the 20th century. It looks like he really worked at capturing the texture of the ceramic, pushing the paint around to get that sense of volume. It's interesting how Caseau decided to include the additional study of the top of the jug, almost as if he wanted to give us a clearer view. I like to think he was fascinated by its simple beauty. The blue jay motif is so striking. There's something very satisfying about how that cobalt blue pops against the muted grays and browns. It's an odd combination, but it works. When you look at this and other paintings, remember art is just artists communicating with other artists across time, inspiring each other!