Clock 1935 - 1942

This undated, anonymous drawing of a clock reveals a whole world of craft, utility, and design. I am immediately struck by how carefully each element of the clock is laid out, almost like an architect's plan. You can see the bare bones of the clock, each line a testament to the maker’s precision and skill. I can only imagine them poring over the details of each curve, calculating the dimensions, and thinking about how it all fits together. There's a beautiful quality of line here; it almost feels like a blueprint, but one that is imbued with an artistic sensibility. I love how the artist allows us to see the object from multiple perspectives – the front, the side, and even the decorative elements that adorn it. It reminds me of the way Picasso would show multiple angles simultaneously. It’s like the artist is saying, "Let’s think about time. Let’s think about how we measure it, how we decorate it, and how we live with it.”