Pier Table c. 1936

This is John Dieterich’s Pier Table drawing; it’s all lines and measurements, like a schematic dream. Look at how the table legs curve—they give the whole thing a sense of movement, like it's about to dance off the page! I can imagine Dieterich hunched over his drafting table, squinting at the details, trying to capture the essence of this piece of furniture. What was he thinking as he drew each line? Was he focused on precision, or was there a sense of playfulness in his hand? The drawing is so spare, and yet it conveys so much about the form and function of the table. There’s something so intimate about the details that he has chosen to include, like the intricate carvings along the top. You feel like you're getting a secret glimpse into the soul of this object. It reminds me of the drawings of other artists who have documented and re-imagined existing objects, like Jasper Johns or Jim Dine. There’s a conversation happening here across time, as artists borrow and build upon one another’s ideas, opening new possibilities of seeing.