Silver Creamer 1935 - 1942

This drawing, *Silver Creamer*, was made by Francis Law Durand, but we don’t know exactly when. What’s so interesting is how he's created depth using graphite, building up layer upon layer of tone to give it that metallic sheen. It really highlights the way that making art is about seeing – and then translating what you see through a process of mark-making. There’s something so tactile about the way Durand has rendered the surface of this creamer. You can almost feel the smoothness of the metal and the cool, hard edges, like he is working to capture not just the look of the object, but also its weight and feel. Look at how he's drawn the beaded band around the middle of the jug. Each little pearl has been given such meticulous attention to detail. It reminds me of some of the early 20th Century precisionist painters like Charles Sheeler, who were also interested in depicting everyday objects with clarity and precision. But, unlike them, Durand is a little more loose and intuitive. We are left with a real sense of the artist's hand, and the work invites us to slow down and really appreciate the beauty in the everyday.