Silver Porringer c. 1936

Herbert Russin made this drawing of a silver porringer at an undetermined date with graphite on paper. The shading gives the metal its sheen, and the lines are precise, but what I find interesting is how the other views are included. It reminds me of technical drawings but with a definite artistic flair. The physicality of the graphite on paper is quite subtle; the textures are smooth, the values of light and shadow are delicately blended to create a sense of form. The handle, with all its little curlicues, feels especially intimate. I can imagine Russin taking his time with each individual shape, really looking and feeling his way through the drawing. I see echoes of artists like Giorgio Morandi, who took simple objects and made them monumental through repetition and close observation. This drawing, like Morandi's bottles, invites us to slow down and really see the beauty in the everyday. It shows how art is an ongoing conversation across time.