Teapot c. 1936

Leo Drozdoff made this drawing of a teapot with graphite on paper. I love the way Drozdoff uses the pencil; each mark seems to follow the form, building up to create this shiny, dimensional object. There’s a real sensitivity here, a kind of quiet intensity that I find really appealing. Look at how the reflected light is rendered, and how the artist has used delicate hatching to create the form. The pencilwork is so precise, yet it never feels tight or overworked. The texture of the paper peeks through, reminding us of the drawing's physical presence. See how Drozdoff has added an additional motif beneath the pot itself, a kind of key for the objects decoration. It reminds me of the work of Giorgio Morandi, who also found endless inspiration in everyday objects. Like Morandi, Drozdoff shows us that art isn't about grand gestures, but about really seeing.