Jar c. 1937

John Dana, active in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, created this watercolor titled "Jar." Though the date is unknown, the subject itself—a utilitarian glass jar—speaks volumes about shifting artistic interests. The choice to depict such a humble object elevates the everyday, a theme that gained traction as artists moved away from traditional, idealized subjects. Note the way Dana captures the subtle variations in the glass, the imperfections and bubbles that tell of its making. These imperfections highlight the hand of the maker. The jar's simple form, likely produced in a factory setting, hints at the rise of industrialization and its impact on daily life. Dana's decision to focus on this common object encourages us to reconsider the value we place on the mass-produced and the handmade. It challenges the hierarchy that often separates fine art from craft and design.