Pa. German Jar 1937

This painting of a Pa. German Jar was made by Eugene Shellady, presumably in 1937, judging by the signature at the bottom. The green is so alive; a deep, rich glaze. The colour has a life of its own, pooling in some areas, rubbing away in others. That’s what’s so seductive about the act of painting, right? How the colour moves and lives on the surface. The physicality of the paint here, the way it renders the light reflecting off the ceramic, is very special. See how the writing on the jar is evoked in the paint, each letter a careful mark. I can imagine him working slowly, meticulously, trying to capture not just the look but the feeling of the jar. It's more than just a picture; it is an object of memory. For me, this painting has the same sensibility as someone like Giorgio Morandi, using humble objects to think about light, shadow, and form. Art is always about looking and looking again, finding new ways to see the world.