Coffee Pot c. 1938

John Koehl created this watercolor of a Coffee Pot. While the date of its creation isn't known, Koehl was active during a time when American artists were exploring their national identity through depictions of everyday objects. There's a quiet dignity in Koehl's rendering. The coffee pot, elevated from a mere functional item to an object worthy of artistic attention, speaks to a broader cultural narrative of finding beauty and value in the mundane. We can ask ourselves, who might have owned this coffee pot? What kind of lives did they lead? What was the symbolism of these floral decorations for the owner? Consider the rituals and conversations that might have unfolded around it; this image invites reflection on our relationship with objects, memory, and history. The choice to depict it in watercolor lends a softness that contrasts with the metallic nature of the pot itself. Perhaps, it's an attempt to soften the sharp edges of industrialization with delicate floral patterns.