Sculpture 1935 - 1942

This watercolor and graphite drawing presents a design for a sculpture, by an anonymous artist. Its materiality—paper, pigment, and pencil—belies the three-dimensional object it depicts. The sculpture design portrays a kneeling figure holding a cup and an upright vessel. A profusion of decorative patterns, noted in the artist's annotations, covers the body of the figure, which is likely made of plaster, or ceramic. The work is reminiscent of Sèvres porcelain figurines, luxury items produced for the consumption of European elites. Although the artist remains unknown, they skillfully render ornamental detail and drapery, referencing traditions of ceramic production. We should consider how the design process here—laborious and specialized—mirrors the labor involved in the creation of the object itself. Paying attention to both design and possible manufacture, we see how aesthetic expression is always rooted in material conditions.