Bread Basket c. 1940

This delicate bread basket was painted by John H. Tercuzzi, but we don't know exactly when. It's rendered with such care and precision, you can imagine him carefully observing every detail. The translucent washes of color he used! It feels so intentional – a slow, deliberate act, almost meditative. You can see how he’s built up the form through layer upon layer. The pale blues and pinks create a sense of light, airiness, and nostalgia. I wonder if it held bread or fruit? Maybe it was just something beautiful to look at. Tercuzzi might have been thinking about all the still life paintings that came before, but he’s also doing his own thing – making something fresh and unique. He encourages us to look closer, to find something new each time we visit the painting. Because, ultimately, art is about seeing, feeling, and connecting across time and space.