Pa. German Deep Dish c. 1936

Agnes Karlin made this watercolor painting, Pa. German Deep Dish, at an unknown date. The earthy palette and the careful rendering of this dish are so compelling. I love how the artist is using the watercolor, with it's transparent washes and delicate lines, to depict this sturdy, functional object. You can see the artist has carefully considered the shapes and forms, depicting it from multiple angles. There's something about the handmade quality of both the dish and the painting that speaks to me. I think about the material qualities, the smoothness of the glaze versus the roughness of the earthenware. Looking at this piece, you can almost imagine how it might feel to hold the real dish in your hands. It's like Karlin is speaking across time to share this object with us. It reminds me of some of Morandi's still life paintings.