Pewter Lamp c. 1936

Joseph Stonefield made this pencil drawing of a pewter lamp, and what I notice is the tenderness of the shading, how the light seems to softly wrap around the solid form. It's a patient kind of looking. The artist is using the side of the pencil to build up tone, layering the graphite to give the illusion of three dimensions. See how the lines are denser towards the bottom, grounding the lamp, giving it weight. The details are spare, the little rectangular holes on top, the subtle banding around the body. It reminds me of some of Morandi's still life paintings, the way he used a limited palette to create a feeling of quiet contemplation. Stonefield's drawing isn't about bravura or virtuosity. Instead, he gives us the humble beauty of the everyday. It’s a good reminder that art can be found in the simplest of things, if we just take the time to really see.