Vase (Blue and White) c. 1936

This is Albert Eyth's watercolor painting of a blue and white vase. Born in Europe in 1855, Eyth lived in a time of immense industrial growth. As mass production began to dominate, many artists turned to craft as a means of preserving a sense of individuality and cultural identity. Consider the vase itself. Vases are vessels, they hold things. They are traditionally feminine objects. But here, what does it mean to depict a vase through painting? The medium itself evokes a kind of old world sensibility. The blue and white spiral pattern, carefully and methodically painted, speaks to the tension between the handmade and the manufactured. Think about the role of decorative arts in reflecting societal values and personal expression. Eyth gives us a glimpse into the complex relationship between art, labor, and identity during a period of rapid change.