Toleware Tea Cannister c. 1938

This watercolour shows a toleware tea cannister by Henry Murphy, made sometime between 1855 and 1995. It’s got a certain charm, don’t you think? What strikes me is the darkness of the cannister itself, a solid block, which makes the splash of flowers all the more vibrant. The artist has carefully rendered the texture of the metal, with its slight imperfections and worn edges. But then, bam! There's that juicy rose, like a little explosion of color. The brushstrokes are visible, almost like the artist wanted to leave a record of their hand. When I look at the rose I see a little bit of folk art combined with something like a Morandi still life. It's unexpected, and somehow really comforting. It reminds me that art can be found in the simplest things, like a painted tea cannister.