Glass Celery Holder c. 1939

Frank M. Keane made this drawing of a glass celery holder, its date unknown, using what looks like watercolor or gouache on paper. The overall impression is delicate, almost ethereal. I can imagine Keane, squinting slightly, trying to capture the way light refracts through the glass, creating those subtle gradations of color. It’s as if he's trying to hold onto something fleeting, something transient. The celery holder itself is so incredibly detailed—you can almost feel the coolness of the glass, the precision of the cuts. Each facet seems to catch the light in its own way, creating a dazzling display of reflections and refractions. You know, it makes me think about Chardin, how he could turn the simplest objects into something profound. Or Morandi, who just kept painting the same bottles over and over, each time finding something new. Keane’s celery holder is part of that lineage, a humble object elevated through the artist’s patient gaze. It reminds me that beauty can be found in the most unexpected places.