Flat Iron Holder c. 1939

Bernard Krieger made this drawing of a flat iron holder, sometime between 1855 and 1995 with graphite on paper. It’s a technical drawing, but it’s got a real intimate quality to it, like a portrait. You know, where the artist has really taken the time to understand the object. The surface has this lovely, soft, almost velvety texture. Look at how he renders the cast iron: you can practically feel the cool smoothness of the metal. I love the way the graphite is layered to create a sense of depth and shadow. It’s like he’s trying to capture the essence of this humble, everyday object, elevating it to something worthy of contemplation. There’s something so tender about the way he depicts it, like he’s saying, “Hey, this matters too.” It reminds me a bit of Giorgio Morandi, who spent his life painting the same bottles over and over. It’s that same idea of finding the extraordinary in the ordinary. Art is about looking closely, and seeing the world in a new way, you know?