Pewter Lamp c. 1941

This is Sydney Roberts’ pencil drawing of a pewter lamp. Just imagine Roberts hunched over this drawing, carefully studying the lamp, its smooth surfaces and delicate chains. The grey pencil captures the sheen of the metal, but for me, it's the light that really sings. See how Roberts shades the curves of the lamp and the discarded shade. I can imagine them squinting, trying to get the highlights just right. It is so lovely to see the light bouncing off the metallic curves. I love how the mundane can become so poetic through drawing. Roberts is part of a long tradition of artists finding beauty in the everyday. Think of Giorgio Morandi's bottles, or even the way Manet painted a beer glass. It reminds us that art isn't just about grand gestures, but about seeing the world with fresh eyes.