Iron Scales c. 1937

Samuel Fineman drew ‘Iron Scales’ sometime in the 20th century using graphite, watercolor, and colored pencil. You can imagine Fineman hunched over this piece, carefully rendering all those hooks and chains with such precision. I wonder what it was like for him, getting lost in the details of these metallic forms. Notice how the watercolor and colored pencil create an illusion of depth, almost as if the scales are popping off the page. The metal looks like it has weight to it; it is easy to imagine the instrument in action. The rust color is earthy and the artist gives us a strong contrast between the weight of the object and the ground it is on. It’s so interesting to see how artists like Fineman engage with everyday objects, transforming them into something worthy of contemplation. It is a reminder that art can be found anywhere if we take the time to really see.