Silver Mug c. 1937

Vincent Carano made this drawing of a ‘Silver Mug’ at an unknown date. It prompts questions about the intersection of art, labor and industry in America. This meticulous study, likely created in the mid-20th century, echoes the precisionist movement's focus on industrial forms and the everyday object, but the lack of context leaves us wondering. Was Carano celebrating American manufacturing? Was he commenting on consumer culture? Or was this a simple exercise in form and representation? To understand this image, we must investigate the artist's life, his involvement in art institutions or commercial industries, and the cultural context in which he worked. By researching Carano's biography and the artistic trends of his time, we can begin to uncover the potential social and political meanings embedded in this seemingly simple representation of a silver mug.