Saucer c. 1937

This is a drawing of a saucer by Joseph Sudek, made with graphite, watercolor, and possibly charcoal on paper. What might seem like a straightforward rendering of an everyday object can be seen as speaking to the cultural values attached to the decorative arts. In the absence of date information, we might still ask how the cultural meanings around such objects are shaped by the institutions that acquire and display them. The drawing is interesting for its formal qualities, but it also reflects the social and economic conditions of its time. Was Sudek trying to elevate the status of everyday objects through art? Or perhaps he was commenting on the role of luxury goods in society? To fully understand this work, we might consider the history of decorative arts, the art market, and the artist's biography, all of which are fields of research that could enrich our understanding of this seemingly simple image.