Silver Mug c. 1936

Henry Granet made this drawing of a silver mug sometime after 1855. What strikes me most is the incredible softness of the rendering. It’s an object that is both there and not there. I wonder if Granet was thinking about surface and light as he drew. It’s like he’s trying to capture the essence of silverness, the way light glimmers and reflects. It's interesting to think about why Granet chose to depict a mug. Was it a commissioned piece? A study of form? Or maybe something more personal? It’s almost as if he's trying to hold onto something precious, something that might slip away if he doesn't capture it just right. In the end, drawings like this remind us that art is often about seeing, feeling, and remembering. It's about holding onto moments and objects that matter to us.