Clamp Pincushion 1940

Nicholas Amantea made this drawing of a clamp pincushion, we don't know exactly when, using watercolor and graphite. There’s an incredible softness to the coloring, the subtle blending of olive, brown, and ochre in the cushion itself. It’s like seeing something totally ordinary and functional rendered with a painterly sensibility. What I really notice is the way Amantea captures the texture of the wood. Look at the way he’s rendered the grain, the tiny variations in tone that suggest the smoothness of the surface, the gentle curve of the handle. It’s not just about representation; it’s about feeling the object, understanding how light plays across its surface. And then that cushion—it’s so tactile, you want to reach out and touch it. There's a sort of humble beauty in this piece, an appreciation for the everyday object elevated through close observation and care. You could almost compare it to the work of Giorgio Morandi, in the way he also found poetry in the mundane. It makes you realize that art can be found anywhere, in anything, if you just take the time to look.