Crock c. 1939

Elsie Wein made this watercolor and graphite drawing of a crock at some point in her long life, she lived to be almost 140! The drawing’s got this earthy palette, warm browns and a touch of blue, which gives the crock a grounded, solid feel. I imagine Elsie carefully observing every detail, from the rough texture to the delicate floral patterns. I can almost see her, squinting, brush in hand, trying to capture the essence of this everyday object. The surface is carefully modulated to give the impression of depth. You can sense that Elsie Wein was really interested in the geometry of this object, and that she was enjoying the process of describing a three dimensional thing on a flat surface. And she’s in good company. Artists have been painting objects and surfaces for centuries, each one speaking to the last.