Skewers and Holder c. 1938

Here's Bernard Krieger's drawing of skewers and holder, made with what looks like graphite on paper. The drawing is so linear and precise, yet what is depicted are hand-wrought objects, made with hammering and fire. It's a lovely tension. I'm really looking at the surface, wondering about how Krieger built up the tones. It's almost as if he was trying to describe the effect of rust on metal. I love the fact that the artist took such care to draw something functional. It celebrates the everyday. Look at the skewer on the left, with the elaborate handle. It's as if the artist is saying that even basic things can be beautiful. It reminds me a little of Charles Sheeler’s drawings of machinery, in the way he finds such elegance in industrial forms. Art invites us to look closely, to linger with the ordinary and discover hidden depths.