Silver Jug for Cream c. 1940

Curator: This watercolor and drawing by David P. Willoughby, "Silver Jug for Cream," dates back to around 1940. It's quite elegant, don't you think? Editor: Oh, absolutely. It has a quiet formality to it, like a poised guest at afternoon tea. I notice right away the economy of materials—paper, watercolor, and I suppose graphite for the drawing—focused on elevating this object, a cream jug, to something of value. Curator: Indeed! There's a simple beauty, almost an idealistic rendering in the depiction of everyday life during the 1940s. Editor: The artist’s technique really focuses our attention on the object's structure. What looks like a simple still life hints at larger concerns: craft, industrial design and perhaps an aesthetic response to consumerism of the era. The details, like the feet shaped like shells, suggest that somebody thought deeply about the design elements and production methods of this cream jug. Curator: Precisely, and the interplay between light and shadow, captured with watercolors, evokes a sense of time standing still. It's as if Willoughby is not merely painting an object, but encapsulating a memory. There's nostalgia and a touch of longing perhaps. Do you get that feeling? Editor: I do. What is interesting about using watercolors is that this particular technique lends itself towards creating flat even surfaces without too many visible brushstrokes: so the attention of the observer gets drawn away from the technique, toward the overall visual impression, of quiet everyday luxury in uncertain times. Curator: It really invites us to contemplate beauty in the ordinary. So, ultimately what does this evoke in you, now? Editor: An invitation, perhaps. An invitation to appreciate the artistry embedded in everyday things, and reflect on how those things connect us to wider socioeconomic forces. Curator: A fitting tribute, indeed. Thank you for that lovely observation.