Finial c. 1940

Marian Page made this watercolour called "Finial", and looking at it, I feel like I can see the artist really enjoying the process. It's like she’s trying to understand the object, but at the same time, she’s inventing it. Each stroke seems to be asking a question – how does this curve? What’s the light doing here? I imagine Marian really studying the finial, turning it in the light, and letting the colors and shapes emerge through the act of painting. The texture is conveyed so simply, with these delicate lines and washes of color, the browns and greens really pop. It almost feels like I could reach out and touch it! There’s a rhythm to the painting, a conversation between the artist and the object. Marian is part of a long conversation of artists trying to figure out how to see, and how to translate what they see into something new. It’s a beautiful, quiet exchange.