Jug c. 1941

Editor: This is "Jug," a watercolor drawing from around 1941 by Nicholas Amantea. I’m really struck by how utilitarian yet decorative it is. How do you see this piece? Curator: The first thing that grabs me is the negotiation between function and representation. It depicts a utilitarian object, likely a stoneware jug used for storage, rendered in watercolor, typically associated with fine art. How does the choice of watercolor elevate, or perhaps comment on, the jug’s status as a crafted object versus a mass-produced commodity? Editor: That's a good point. So, you're thinking about how the act of painting changes our perception of something that would have been pretty common? Curator: Precisely. And beyond that, consider the labor involved in both the making of the physical jug – the potter's skill, the firing process – and then mirrored in Amantea's act of depicting it. Are these complementary labors or in tension? How does the floral motif influence the relationship? Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way before. It’s almost like the artist is highlighting the different stages of "making," from raw material to finished product to artistic representation. Curator: Exactly. And in 1941, with wartime industrial production ramping up, what does choosing such a humble, handmade object as a subject communicate? Was it a comment on industrialization and the displacement of skilled labor? Editor: I guess it speaks to the value and beauty of handmade objects in a time of increasing mass production. It definitely gave me a new appreciation for something seemingly so ordinary. Curator: It’s a reminder that even the most everyday objects carry stories of labor, skill, and a specific moment in our cultural landscape.