Coffee Mill c. 1937

Frank C. Barks made this drawing of a coffee mill at an unknown date using what appears to be watercolor. Barks seems to have been interested in the process of rendering form through subtle gradations of tone, using a limited palette of browns, grays, and tans. The material aspects of this piece are really what speak to me. There's a tangible quality to the wooden board and the metallic grinder, as if I could reach out and feel the rough grain and the cool, smooth metal. The paint is applied in thin washes, allowing the paper to breathe, while also building up layers to create depth and shadow. Look at the handle—there's a beautiful, almost imperceptible curve, a gesture of movement that invites the viewer to imagine the grinding process. Barks's attention to detail reminds me a bit of Giorgio Morandi, who also found beauty in the everyday. Both artists share a similar interest in the poetics of the mundane, elevating ordinary objects to a place of contemplation and wonder.