Betty Lamp c. 1939

Philip Johnson made this drawing of a Betty Lamp, a kind of early oil lamp, at an unknown date, using graphite on paper. Look closely, and you’ll see the way the artist uses tiny marks to build up the form. It’s almost like he’s translating something solid into a constellation of points. The texture isn’t smooth; it's built of tiny lines and shadows. See how each mark is carefully placed, giving the lamp its weight, its age? It makes you consider light, and shadow, and the kind of labor that goes into depicting an object with such care. I am reminded of the drawings of Vija Celmins. Both artists share a precise eye and a love for the texture and surface of everyday objects. But unlike Celmins, Johnson allows for a little softness, a bit of air around his subject, reminding us that art isn’t about perfect replication, but about seeing and feeling the world around us.