Candlestick c. 1937

Editor: Here we have Alfred Walbeck’s "Candlestick," a drawing from around 1937. It’s quite delicate, really – I love the aged paper and subtle color palette. What aspects of the candlestick's design and rendering stand out to you? Curator: The formal elements immediately strike the eye. Note the precision of line and form. The object's shape, a candlestick, is presented through orthogonal projections with scaling indicated and also using watercolor that attempts to imitate reflected light. Consider the balance between these methods. How does the artist's decision to juxtapose the flat representation with this mimetic volume inform the image? Editor: So, you’re focusing on the contrast in how the candlestick is portrayed? The flat technical drawings versus the attempt at realism? Curator: Precisely. Look at the light reflecting off the central form. Notice the layering and directionality of the lines to give a cylindrical illusion of the metal and to create what appears to be shadows. Does that render the metallic finish realistically or instead call attention to the lines that compose it? Editor: I see what you mean. It’s less about pure representation and more about showing us the structure and the technique used to create the image itself. Almost like the artist wants us to be aware of the construction of the image, not just the object. Curator: An astute observation. What is the value, then, of juxtaposing two methods, a mimetic mode and what might be a purely design oriented approach to orthogonal views? Does this image perhaps expose the semiotics of the object in order to ask what its platonic ideal might be? Editor: That’s a whole different way of seeing it. I was just looking at a pretty drawing of a candlestick. Now I have new avenues to think through for understanding the piece. Curator: Indeed. By analyzing the artistic method, we discover its value, rather than as an antiquated artifact or drawing.