Jar c. 1937

Nicholas Amantea painted this "Jar," sometime between 1900 and 1978 using what looks like watercolor on paper. The jar itself is rendered in subtle grays, blues, and browns, with a charmingly naive cobalt blue decoration dancing across its surface. I can just imagine Amantea, squinting slightly, carefully capturing the nuances of light and shadow on this humble object. Was he thinking about the history of the jar, its utilitarian purpose, or simply its form and texture? Maybe he was thinking about Morandi, finding the extraordinary in the ordinary! The way he's rendered the glaze, with its subtle imperfections and variations in color, is really beautiful. The blue decoration, a playful garland, adds a touch of whimsy. It makes me think about the endless possibilities of mark-making, how a simple gesture can communicate so much. Amantea’s jar reminds us that painting isn't just about representation, it's about feeling, about connecting with the world around us through color, line, and form.