Pot c. 1938

Nicholas Amantea painted this Pot, using watercolor and graphite on paper. Here we have a drawing of a ceramic pot that is deeply, beautifully brown. The slight imperfections in the color, the tonal variation, suggest that this object has actually been seen and carefully studied. There is a clear attention to the way it was made, and how the hand of the potter influenced its form. And indeed, the inscription that runs around the pot’s shoulder gives us a clue to the object's origins. The name printed there suggests a connection to the Cushman family of potters, active in Albany, New York, from the early to mid-19th century. Though making pottery might seem like a straightforward process, it is a very physical one, that often involves several sets of hands. Understanding this artwork fully requires us to think about the wider social and economic conditions of its production, alongside its aesthetic qualities.