Burner and Kettle 1935 - 1942

Edith Magnette made this study of a burner and kettle with graphite and watercolor on paper. The warm and precise rendering of these metal objects suggests a love for their familiar shapes and a fascination with their reflective surfaces. The metal textures are evoked with very delicate and descriptive strokes. The light and shade are built up in layers to give volume to the forms. I like how the repeated shapes of the burner, with its circular base and cylindrical stem, are echoed in the rounded body and lid of the kettle. Look closely, and you can see the small details that bring these objects to life, like the subtle shading on the handle of the kettle or the way the light catches on the rim of the burner. There’s a similar approach to the still life paintings of Giorgio Morandi, who also found endless inspiration in the simple shapes of everyday objects. I see both artists delighting in the quiet beauty of the mundane. Art is a conversation that unfolds slowly.