Pitcher 1936

This "Pitcher," by Eugene Shellady, is rendered in warm browns and dark reds. It looks like it was made in the 80s. The paint is on the thinner side, pooling in some areas and dragging across the canvas in others. I wonder what Shellady was thinking as they painted it. It’s so simple, yet precise. The handle is not quite aligned with the jug's body, and the dark splashes of color are randomly placed, giving it a quirkiness. It makes me think of Morandi's bottles, but with an almost folk-art sensibility. Shellady has a sensitivity for rendering everyday objects. The stripes wrapping around the pitcher are uneven and wobbly, suggesting a human touch in the making of the object, as well as the painting. Ultimately, painting is a conversation across time. It invites different interpretations with each viewing. It reminds me that there's no one "right" way to see or understand a painting, or the object it represents.