Silver Porringer 1936

Charles Cullen made this drawing of a silver porringer. It’s kind of perfect. Look how Cullen gently coaxes light across the bowl. I’m imagining him carefully shading and observing, trying to capture the glint of the metal, building up the form bit by bit. The handle is beautifully ornate with a name on it that I wish I knew the story of! I wonder if Johanna Abel ever held this very object? It must have been fascinating to draw something like this, paying careful attention to the object's form. I can imagine the artist thinking about line and shadow, balance and symmetry. The more I look, the more I feel I could try to draw this myself and learn a little bit about seeing. It reminds me that art isn't just about grand gestures, sometimes it’s about slowing down and really looking, learning from each other, and trying something new.