Silver Mug 1935 - 1942

Charlotte Winter made this drawing of a silver mug, sometime between 1855 and 1995, with what looks like graphite on paper. The grey tones give it an almost photographic quality, like a black and white image that has faded over time, or maybe it's a study for a larger piece? Winter really focuses on the textures of the silver here, the way the light bounces off the smooth surfaces of the mug contrasting with the more detailed decorative bands. See how she isolates sections of the mug's design with the additional studies in the corners; like she's taking it apart to understand how the different elements fit together. There’s a real care and attention to detail. It reminds me of the work of Giorgio Morandi, who made paintings of bottles, or even Vija Celmins, who makes drawings of everyday objects with an almost hyperrealist intensity. It's a celebration of the ordinary, elevated through close observation and careful rendering.