Mug 1935 - 1942

This is Giacinto Capelli's drawing of a mug. While seemingly a simple depiction of everyday life, images like these speak volumes about how objects acquire meaning and value. Consider the context in which Capelli, who died in 1995, lived and worked. His lifetime saw immense shifts in artistic production. The very act of drawing a mug invites us to consider the social life of objects. Mugs, especially in the late 19th and 20th centuries, became potent symbols of domesticity, labor, and social gatherings. How does Capelli's rendering either reinforce or subvert these associations? Is it an attempt to monumentalize the mundane? Or does it invite us to reflect on the relationship between the artist, the object, and the viewer? Further research into Capelli’s life and artistic milieu, through archives and period publications, can reveal the socio-economic factors that influenced his choice of subject matter. Art history is not just about aesthetics; it's about understanding the complex web of social relations that shape artistic creation and reception.