Pa. German Butter Mold 1935 - 1942

C. Mansfield, painted this Pa. German Butter Mold, probably with watercolours, to give it this light and transparent appearance. It’s all about the process, isn't it? I get the sense that Mansfield’s approach was to carefully build up layers of colour, a little like glazing, to achieve this realistic depiction of an everyday object. I am interested in the colours, those browns and beiges, warm and earthy, and the way the artist captured the texture of the wood, the carved design, the worn edges - the little imperfections. Look at the detail in the pattern on the mold! See how each little star is rendered with such care? To me, it speaks to the beauty and artistry that can be found in the simplest of things. It reminds me a little of the work of Charles Demuth, another Pennsylvania artist who found beauty in the ordinary. And it shows that art is a conversation across time. It doesn’t give you all the answers, and that's the point!