Silver Teapot c. 1938

This Silver Teapot was conceived by Aaron Fastovsky, using graphite on paper. The drawing emphasizes the qualities of the silver material, its smooth, reflective surfaces, and the way light plays across its form. Fastovsky used graphite to mimic the metallic shine of the silver, carefully rendering the gradations of light and shadow to give the illusion of three-dimensionality. The process of drawing itself, with its careful attention to detail, echoes the labor-intensive processes of silversmithing. Consider the social context of such an object. A silver teapot like this would have been a luxury item, a symbol of wealth and status in a domestic setting. The production of such an object would have involved skilled labor, from the mining of the silver to the crafting and polishing of the teapot itself. The drawing, in its own way, pays homage to that labor, highlighting the craftsmanship involved in both its making and representation. Through his choice of subject and medium, Fastovsky invites us to consider the relationship between art, craft, and the social world.