Ink Bottle 1940

Marie Lutrell’s rendering of an ink bottle was made with watercolor on paper, and it's all about the subtleties of brown. Look how Lutrell coaxes out different tones, layering them in a way that suggests light and shadow playing across the surface. It feels like she’s finding the form through the act of painting itself. Notice the way the brushstrokes follow the curve of the bottle, almost like she’s caressing it with color. There's a kind of tenderness here, a real sense of attention to the object. And that little crack on the side, near the top? It gives the bottle character, doesn't it? It's like a little imperfection that makes it real. It’s this detail which reminds me of the work of Giorgio Morandi, who like Lutrell, also found endless interest in the quiet beauty of simple objects. Art is an ongoing conversation, always looking, always learning, always finding new ways to see the world.