Silver Bowl c. 1936

Hester Duany made this ‘Silver Bowl’ with pencil on paper, and you can really feel the careful, considered process that went into its creation. The precision in this drawing is so striking. Duany’s use of delicate pencil strokes mimics the reflective surface of the bowl, almost as if she’s trying to capture light itself. She clearly relishes the materiality of her subject, and her drawing highlights the bowl’s intricate details. Look at the lines of tiny ‘pearls’ that surround the edge of the lid and body of the bowl. Their regular, repeated form really emphasize the dimensionality of the piece, drawing our eye around its form. Her work reminds me of the drawings of Vija Celmins, who also worked with humble materials to create illusions of depth and surface. Both artists share an interest in how simple marks can transform our perception. Like all great art, this bowl invites us to slow down, to look closely, and to find beauty in the everyday.