Salt Shaker c. 1936

Henry Meyers made this drawing of a salt shaker, we don't know exactly when, using graphite on paper. It's a soft, careful rendering, almost like a memory of an object rather than the thing itself. I'm struck by the tonal variations Meyers achieves with just graphite. Look at the way he’s built up the form with layer upon layer of delicate strokes. You can almost feel the cool, smooth surface of the shaker, the way light might catch on its curves. The graphite gives it a hazy atmosphere, it's like a photograph left out in the sun. The drawing reminds me of Agnes Martin’s grids, how she made the hand visible within the constraints of a rigid structure. The little studies at the bottom feel like doodles, maybe he was just thinking out loud with his pencil. It reminds us that art is a language, and like any language, it’s full of dialects and personal quirks. Meyers' drawing invites us to slow down, to savor the simple elegance of everyday objects, and to appreciate the beauty of handmade things.