Tole Candle Wall Bracket c. 1940

This Tole Candle Wall Bracket, by David S. De Vault, is made using watercolor and graphite on paper. It depicts an ornamental light fixture that would have been crafted from painted tin, popular at the time. What interests me most is the relationship between the image and its would-be referent. Here we have a drawing that documents a process, and an object, of vernacular manufacture. This is not exactly fine art – more like product design. It probably was made by a skilled metalworker, rather than a formally trained artist. The fluted sconces, and elegant curves of the bracket arms, recall designs in precious materials like silver and bronze. However, the original object would have been produced through repetitive labor, for a burgeoning consumer market. Ultimately, this drawing shows the value of thinking about artistic practice in the broadest terms, challenging the traditional hierarchy between art, craft, and design.