Lamp c. 1936

This drawing of a Lamp was made by A. Zaidenberg, but we don’t know when. Look at the way it’s rendered; soft yet precise. It’s a dance between light and form, achieved through delicate pencil strokes. The graphite creates a subtle gradation, giving the lamp a real sense of volume. I love how Zaidenberg teases out the texture of the metal, hinting at its cool, smooth surface. Zoom in on the small technical drawing in the bottom left corner. It’s so precise. I wonder if he was an engineer as well as an artist? These small acts of mark making show a fascination with light and shadow, with how objects occupy space and how we perceive them. It reminds me of those early modernist still lifes, playing with perspective, challenging our perception. You could put it next to a Morandi drawing and it would fit right in. It's a quiet piece, but so full of thought.