Powder Flask c. 1939

This Powder Flask was painted by Robert W.R. Taylor, but we don't know exactly when. It's a watercolour, and it's all about the subtle dance of colours and the layering of marks. The surface isn't just flat; you can almost feel the texture. Look at the way Taylor uses these thin washes, building up the colour to create depth and shadow. It's like a slow reveal, a peek into the heart of the flask. That tiny detail near the top, a little splash of lighter paint, it’s like a glitch, a hiccup in the painting's surface. It disrupts the illusion, reminding us that this is paint, not metal. The organic shapes, the leaves and the deer's head, create this tension with the rigid geometry of the flask. It makes you think about tradition and nature. Taylor reminds me of Charles Burchfield, who also played with organic forms and the American landscape. It's an open-ended conversation, full of possibilities.