Fire Tongs and Shovel c. 1937

Hans Korsch made this drawing of fire tongs and a shovel, and what strikes me is how functional objects can become art, right? The metallic surfaces are rendered with such care, Korsch really captures the way light bounces off these everyday tools. It's like he's saying, "Hey, even the things we use to tend a fire can be beautiful." Look at the shovel, how the light and dark areas create a sense of depth, making it almost sculptural. And the tongs! Each line, each curve is so precise, but they still feel handmade, human. This piece reminds me a bit of Morandi, how he turned bottles and vases into these meditative, almost spiritual objects. Korsch does something similar here. He elevates the mundane, inviting us to see the beauty in the functional, and the art in the everyday. It’s a reminder that art isn’t just in galleries or museums – it’s all around us, waiting to be discovered.