Wooden Stirrup 1935 - 1942

Vera Van Voris made this rendering of a wooden stirrup out of colored pencil and graphite on paper. The artist pays close attention to the material qualities of the wood. You can see the texture of the wood grain, the color variations and the carved surfaces of the object. The lines of red and blue pigment create a graphic pattern, contrasting with the naturally occurring patterns of the material. Looking at the drawing, you can imagine the amount of effort it would have taken to carve this solid piece of wood into such a shape. Given its utilitarian purpose, this stirrup also shows attention to aesthetics, indicating a pride of workmanship. Van Voris asks us to consider the social context in which the original object would have been made and used. The artist reminds us that even everyday functional objects are created through human labor and skill.