Zurbarán's painting invites us to find wonder in the
familiar. Taking time out to really look at
paintings, or the objects around us, can bring a
sense of awareness to our everyday experience.
Let's take five minutes to enjoy a slow look
at this painting of 'A Cup of Water and a Rose'.
So starting by taking hold of your cup and raising it up to really look at it
in the light, noticing its shape,
and colours,
seeing any light shining through it or off it.
Any reflections or shadows.
Being curious about it as you turn it in your hands.
Are there any chips, cracks or grazing?
Feeling its smooth surface and its weight,
and the contact of your fingers around it.
Look at the liquid inside. Does light reflect off it?
Gently swirling the drink and noticing any patterns of
light and motion, and then bringing the cup to your mouth,
and pausing for a moment before drinking, feeling the cup rest against your lips,
noticing any urge to drink, but holding off for a moment longer
to sense how this feels. Does your mouth water?
And then slowly taking a sip and holding the drink in your mouth,
noticing how it feels before gently swallowing.
Sensing any taste or temperature, taking another sip, noticing all your
movements as you do so, and even how it sounds.
And taking one final sip. How far can you sense the path of the
liquid as it travels? Then putting the drink carefully down,
and coming to look at this picture, taking in the painting as a physical
object, with its rough edges and areas of wear
and tear. Then seeing the layout of shapes,
the black stripe of the background, and the brown
band of the table. Noticing this horizontal divide,
and then the more subtle vertical division
created by the light and shade down the length of the cup.
Inviting your eyes to follow the curves of the cup,
exploring circles. The top of the cup,
the curve of the water, the grooved rings,
its curvy handles,
the rounded base.
And then moving to the dish, it's inner circles,
it's outer circumference, and base.
And then enjoying the dance of your eyes over the rose's swirling petals,
sweeping around a petal in a figure of eight.
Seeking out light in the painting. Patches of gleaming light on the rim of
the cup,
on the glinting pewter,
the trace of water seeping from under the cup,
discovering reflections,
and then delving into the darkness, finding the darkest point of the
painting, before coming back to this painting once
again as a physical object. Examining the network of cracks in the
paint,
and finishing by exploring brush strokes.
Zurbarán's painting invites us to find wonder
in the familiar. Taking time out to really look at paintings
or the objects around us can bring a sense of awareness to our everyday
experience.