Toy Stove c. 1939

This drawing shows a toy stove, rendered on paper by Philip Johnson, sometime between 1855 and 1995. While the drawing itself employs traditional fine art materials, consider the original object: a miniature stove made of cast iron, likely manufactured in a factory setting. The heaviness of the iron, necessary for containing heat in a real stove, is playfully reinterpreted at this scale, offering a child's introduction to the world of domestic labor. The original stove would have been made through industrial processes, involving molding, casting, and assembly line production. The drawing captures the stove’s texture and form, emphasizing its function as a scaled-down version of a household appliance. In its own way, this unassuming object reflects the increasing industrialization of daily life, even at the level of childhood play. It reminds us that even toys are embedded in wider social issues of labor, production, and consumption. The drawing prompts us to consider how such objects blur the boundaries between fine art, craft, and industrial design.