Match Box c. 1939

This image is a painting of a matchbox, and was made by John H. Tercuzzi. The colors are muted, as if the box is old and worn. I can almost imagine the act of painting, the artist layering thin washes of color to build up the texture and form. I wonder what Tercuzzi was thinking when he made this; maybe he saw beauty in the everyday, or perhaps he was drawn to the simple geometry of the box. Look how the paint creates this mottled effect, it really gives a sense of time passing and the object aging. The eagle on top, holding what looks like an olive branch, is a powerful and intriguing symbol! Painting, for me, is an ongoing conversation with other artists across time. Tercuzzi is a painter I'm glad to be in dialogue with now, in this moment. It's like we're exchanging ideas and inspiring each other's creativity, even across different eras and approaches to image making.