Andiron (one of pair) c. 1937

This drawing of an andiron, one of a pair, was made by Hans Korsch, using what looks like graphite and colored pencil on paper. Look how the colors are laid down in very small hatched lines, almost like a pointillist painting, but with a real attention to form. You know, the way the light glances off rounded surfaces. The drawing itself is so precise, so focused on the material qualities of this object. The slightly metallic sheen, the weight of it, the sense of it being both functional and decorative. Notice how the artist has really thought about texture, about the way the light would catch on the metal. And there's something about the almost obsessive detail, the evenness of the application, that lends a kind of quiet intensity to the piece. It reminds me a little of the drawings of Vija Celmins, you know, where she painstakingly recreates found objects. Both artists use the act of drawing as a form of meditation, a way of really seeing, and understanding the world around them. It’s a reminder that art isn't just about grand gestures; it's about close looking and quiet, careful work.