Cup of Horn c. 1940

Cornelius Christoffels made this ‘Cup of Horn’ with what looks like watercolour and pencil. It’s such a beautiful, understated piece, and the way he’s approached it feels very process-oriented, very much about the act of looking and recording. There’s something so intimate about the lines in this work. They're not trying to trick you into thinking this is a real cup, the way photorealism might. Instead, Christoffels seems interested in the surface, texture, and pattern of the cup, how the light catches it. See the way the lines wobble slightly? Or how the colour pools in certain areas, giving it a subtle glow? It’s like he’s inviting you to experience the cup through his eyes, to see the beauty in the everyday. It reminds me a bit of Agnes Martin, in her delicate lines and muted palette. Both artists seem to understand that less can be more, that true beauty lies in the subtle details.