New England Lantern c. 1937

Harry Jennings made this watercolor, titled 'New England Lantern', some time in the twentieth century. Jennings’s subtle washes of gray, ochre and brown give the lantern a ghostly, quiet presence, as if the piece emerged slowly from the depths of a dream. Look closely, and you’ll notice the delicate layers of pigment that build up to create a sense of depth and form. The surface has a smooth, almost luminous quality. The fine lines and details of the lantern, like the rows of stars and diamonds at the top, are rendered with a precise hand. But look closer, at the cracked glass, and you'll see a more expressive, organic line where the artist lets his hand loose, giving the work a certain energy. There's something about the light in this piece, the way it filters through the translucent glass, that reminds me of a Gerhard Richter candle painting – both artists use light to create a sense of nostalgia. They also invite us to consider the quiet beauty of everyday objects.