Silver Tankard 1935 - 1942

Curator: This intriguing sketch, titled "Silver Tankard," was rendered by Joseph Leboit sometime between 1935 and 1942, primarily using graphite and charcoal. Editor: The first impression I get is one of substantial volume. Look at the curving form of the jug, its polished reflections meticulously captured—but within what looks like an almost accidental field of pale brown wash. It creates a captivating contrast. Curator: The tankard, itself, has a layered history in European culture, from functional household object to symbol of prosperity. The reflective silver surface acts as a mirror, suggesting societal values of refinement and wealth during its period. Its presence evokes a sense of formality and perhaps ritual around gathering. Editor: Right, the materiality is definitely interesting. Notice how Leboit contrasts the solid form of the vessel with the ethereal, almost stained quality of the background. The subtle gradations in the graphite suggest depth and three-dimensionality. It seems as though he focused intently on replicating surface textures using just value changes, completely divorcing it from colour. Curator: Think of a charcoal sketch of an elaborate vessel from this era. This might resonate with a subtle act of preserving tradition, when society might seem as if it is quickly advancing into modernity, with some sense of preserving objects for future generations that once served ritual and celebratory functions. Editor: The deliberate arrangement of tone and line also creates visual tension between illusion and raw materiality. He has skillfully represented the quality of reflection using only monochrome tools, and that contrast emphasizes the properties of both medium and object. I am surprised by how evocative the artist made it all. Curator: Ultimately, Leboit's sketch becomes an artifact within an artifact, a symbolic reflection on value and craftsmanship. The vessel can become a window into societal memories attached to ritual. Editor: And that contrast underscores, for me, the fundamental dichotomy between objective representation and the subjective experience of seeing. The form emerges with stunning clarity out of the seemingly untouched page.