Candle Box 1935 - 1942

Jacob Gielens made this watercolor painting of a Candle Box, we don't know exactly when. The first thing that strikes me is the muted palette; the greys and browns create a calm and contemplative mood. The way Gielens handles the watercolour is fascinating. He’s built up layers and layers of thin washes, letting each one dry before adding the next. The texture is almost imperceptible; it’s all about capturing light and shadow. The details around the hinge of the box are particularly interesting. Look at how Gielens uses delicate strokes to suggest the way the metal has tarnished. It’s like he’s not just painting an object, but also the passage of time. You might think of Giorgio Morandi and his still life paintings of bottles and vases. Like Morandi, Gielens sees the extraordinary in the ordinary. He’s inviting us to slow down, to really look, and to appreciate the quiet beauty of everyday objects.