Jar c. 1938

Curator: Editor: So, this drawing is titled "Jar," created around 1938 by Nicholas Amantea. It looks like it's rendered in charcoal and pencil, giving the object this lovely depth. I find it quite serene. What are your initial thoughts? Editor: Well, it’s interesting that something so simple as a jar is depicted with such care. What exactly am I supposed to be observing with this piece? Curator: Consider the labour involved. Charcoal and pencil – readily available materials – are used to depict this domestic object. The act of drawing transforms this ordinary jar. What do you make of the process itself? Is it replicating or commenting on production methods in other industries, given the date? Editor: So you’re seeing it as more than just a drawing, but rather as a statement on craft versus mass production? The artist is using traditional materials and skills in a world moving towards industrialization. Curator: Precisely! The jar itself suggests utility, function. Drawing it elevates it from a mere container to something worthy of contemplation, a testament to human skill in forming something beautiful. How might this perspective shift our understanding of "high art" versus everyday craft? Editor: I never thought of it that way. The artist chose such an ordinary subject and, through his medium, transforms it into something... more. Maybe questioning value, who decides it, and how materials are involved. Curator: Indeed. Amantea encourages us to consider how value is created, not just in art, but also in the larger context of production and consumption. Editor: I like how we started with a simple drawing of a jar and ended up talking about labor, materials, and societal values! Thanks!