Pewter Bowl c. 1936

This is Henry Meyers’ drawing of a pewter bowl. It's hard to know exactly when he made it, but it’s all pencil on paper. The bowl sits within a square, like it’s been measured and contained. It’s like a very quiet still life, but more diagrammatic. Look at how he uses the pencil, building up tone in tiny, controlled strokes, as if he’s caressing the paper. See how the light seems to reflect off the surface of the bowl? The bowl itself is so simple, a series of horizontal lines and curved forms that evoke its volume and shape. The subtle shading gives it a sculptural presence. It's as if he's trying to understand the object, not just represent it, by tracing its form and capturing its essence. It makes me think of the quiet, understated drawings of Giorgio Morandi, who also found endless beauty in the simplest of objects. It shows that art is really about paying attention, and finding something to love in the everyday.