Potter Trimming Bowl Before Dawn in Magdeburg Kitchen

Cool neon light reflects off the damp, gray clay rim of a bowl spinning slowly on a wooden wheel. A potter leans forward, hands steady, guiding a metal rib along the foot of the vessel to shape its base. The room is dim, lit only by the harsh, blue-white glow of overhead fixtures that cast long, sharp shadows against the plain kitchen walls. Late autumn chill is visible in the steam rising faintly from a mug on the counter and the heavy wool sweater the potter wears. Dust motes float in the narrow beams of light, settling on the rough texture of the workbench. The potter's knuckles are white from the pressure of the tool against the spinning clay. A small pile of wet clay shavings curls on the floor near the stool leg.