Pewter Spoon c. 1937

Burton Ewing made this drawing of two pewter spoons on paper, but we don’t know exactly when. I love the subtle gradations he’s achieved with graphite. It’s a really thoughtful study of form, light, and reflection. See how the surface almost glows? There’s a softness to the rendering that belies the hardness of the metal. He’s not just copying what he sees, he’s interpreting it. The spoon on the left has a fan-like decoration, and the artist has really captured the way the light plays across those tiny ridges. That little detail, that flourish, contrasts with the smooth, almost brutal simplicity of the other spoon. It’s like a tiny party on one, and quiet contemplation on the other. Ewing’s work makes me think of Giorgio Morandi, who spent his career painting the same bottles over and over. There's a similar focus on quiet observation and subtle variation. Art is a conversation across time, right?