Jug c. 1937 - 1938

George Loughridge made this painting of a jug, with what looks like watercolour or gouache. I can see him there, in my mind's eye, maybe outside, carefully rendering the simple form in front of him. Look at the way the light falls on the jug's rounded surface. It feels like an exercise in observation, patiently working with the subtle shifts in tone and texture. I wonder what Loughridge was thinking as he painted? Was he interested in the object itself, or in the challenge of capturing its essence on paper? The blues give the painting a liveliness, like musical notes. The whole thing feels so modest and so grounded, maybe because it reminds me of other paintings, by Giorgio Morandi. I am very curious about the way that artists can have a conversation with each other from beyond the grave. It's a very powerful thought.