Foot Scraper c. 1941

Curator: Here we have a drawing by Jacob Lipkin from around 1941, simply titled "Foot Scraper." Editor: Well, isn't that charmingly utilitarian? It has this almost antique, wrought-iron feel. Functional and solid but the shading is kind of clumsy… still kind of cute, you know? Curator: Clumsy, maybe. But I'm seeing a direct engagement with the subject matter, like he's really figuring out the thingness of this scraper. He experiments a lot with different pencils to shade and give volume to the piece of functional steelwork. Editor: There's an honesty to that for sure. Like peeking into the artist's sketchbook. I noticed how Lipkin relies so much on line weight to describe form. Curator: Indeed. The way the light falls seems secondary to capturing the raw structural essence of this tool. Note how the curves at the top contrast with the blocky body. There is some pleasure to the eye as we note the opposing forms. The material suggests heavy industry in the 1940s while the artist personalizes the work with expressive hand drawing techniques. Editor: Expressive is perhaps… strong? It’s amateur-ish at best! The paper has aged too, given a sort of antiquated character… You said, though, 'raw structure'… and there's something almost beautiful in the sheer utility of it all. Curator: I see that appeal. This could also speak about that era: A nation making things, creating infrastructure… the Foot Scraper becoming an unwitting emblem of industry! There is beauty and a real feeling of personal connection with this unpretentious rendering on old, toned paper. Editor: Ha! You managed to squeeze romance out of a foot scraper! I do admire your perspective. Even a simple pencil sketch can invite us to contemplate a place and time beyond its basic subject. Curator: Absolutely. The drawing’s apparent simplicity can encourage close engagement and bring rewards to an attentive viewer!