Jug c. 1939

This 'Jug' was painted by Giacinto Capelli, probably from life, though we don't know exactly when. Look at this object: it’s a stoneware jug, depicted with a muted palette of earth tones, accented by cobalt blue decorations. I am picturing Capelli, sitting before this jug, squinting to capture the light, the weight of the ceramic, and the story it could tell. The application of paint seems delicate, with subtle tonal variations that give depth to the jug’s rounded form. The cobalt-blue figures and floral motifs, painted with a confident hand, provide a lovely contrast to the understated ground. I wonder about the narratives these motifs held for Capelli. What did it mean to paint these figures on the jug and transfer that onto paper? There’s an ongoing conversation across time here, one artist responding to the artistry of someone else, each work inspiring the other’s creativity. Painting, at its heart, is this form of exchange, isn’t it? An embodied expression, embracing ambiguity, opening up multiple readings.