Flask c. 1940

This is John Dana’s ‘Flask’, made with watercolor on paper, though we don’t know exactly when. Look at how Dana lets the watercolor bloom, creating this radiant, almost pulsating purple. You can really see Dana's process here; he’s not trying to hide the marks, but instead, he’s reveling in the fluid, translucent quality of the paint. The surface is built up through these vertical strokes that make you think of the ridges on a glass bottle, and then there’s this dense, almost honeycomb pattern up top. See how the color pools at the base, giving it weight, while the neck is more delicate, almost ethereal. It reminds me a little of Giorgio Morandi, who spent his whole life painting bottles, exploring the subtle variations of color and light. This flask is so simple, yet so full of possibilities. It's a reminder that art isn't about fixed answers but about embracing ambiguity and multiple perspectives.