Bottle c. 1936

Ralph Atkinson made this painting of a bottle with watercolor on paper. What I like is that the making looks so straightforward, like the artist was interested in the object in front of them, and in getting it down on paper. The indigo color gives the bottle a bold presence. The paint application is watery, like Atkinson was coaxing the bottle into existence. See those small vertical white lines on the inside of the lip? They evoke the feeling of wetness, of capturing the moment. It reminds me of Giorgio Morandi, who made simple paintings of bottles and vases. I feel that Atkinson's work is like having a conversation with Morandi across time, isn't art just an ongoing chat? It's not about right or wrong answers, but keeping the discussion going.