Water Pitcher c. 1936

John Tarantino made this picture of a water pitcher sometime in his long life using what looks like graphite or charcoal. It’s more of a drawing than a painting, really. I am struck by the transparency that he’s captured with such simple means. The way light bends and distorts as it passes through the glass. Look closely, and you can see how the grey lines defining the pitcher's form are doubled, suggesting the thickness of the glass. In the base, the circular lines create an almost dizzying effect, capturing the way light refracts and distorts. It's not photorealism, but rather an interpretation of how we perceive transparency. The artist seems less concerned with the exact replica than with the pure joy of seeing and describing. This reminds me of the work of Giorgio Morandi, who took everyday objects, like bottles and vases, and turned them into profound meditations on form and light. Both artists invite us to slow down and really see the beauty in the ordinary.