Buckles c. 1936

John Dieterich made this delicate pencil drawing, Buckles, on paper. The careful layering of lines suggests a deliberate process, shifting and emerging through trial and error until the desired shape reveals itself. I can almost see the artist hunched over their desk, gently coaxing the buckle's form into existence with each stroke of the pencil. It makes me think about being faithful to the original thing – a buckle! Dieterich made a drawing of a real thing, something functional and everyday. The attention to detail and the rendering of dimensionality are fascinating. I imagine him considering the form from multiple angles, a gesture that reflects an interest in the construction and purpose of the object. His precise lines and understated composition evoke a sense of quiet observation, in a style that speaks to the enduring dialogue between art and craft. It's as if he's whispering, 'Look closely, there's beauty in the mundane.'