Powder Flask c. 1940

This is Benjamin Von Lutze’s Powder Flask, rendered in watercolor. Notice how the meticulous mark-making gives the object a tactile presence, almost as if you could reach out and feel the texture of the leather. Von Lutze's use of watercolor creates a delicate dance between transparency and opacity. The brown tones evoke a sense of warmth and age, while the brass nozzle at the top provides a glint of light. I love the detailing of the string, it's so delicately drawn, but it hangs with this loose, free energy. It sort of dances around the heavier flask. The careful depiction of the flask calls to mind the precision of Albrecht Dürer, while also reminding me of the obsessive cataloging of objects by Hanne Darboven. Ultimately the piece offers a moment to appreciate the beauty in the everyday.