Lard Oil Lamp c. 1937

Milton Grubstein created this Lard Oil Lamp, using graphite or charcoal on paper. This isn't about high art materials; it's a study of an everyday object. Consider the subject matter itself: a lamp designed to burn lard, an animal product, for light. It speaks to a specific moment in history, before electricity became commonplace, when resourceful means of illumination were essential. The medium perfectly captures the lamp's cast iron construction, giving a sense of its weight and solidity. Grubstein's meticulous rendering highlights the lamp's design – a simple cylindrical reservoir atop an ornate, cast-iron base. The drawing captures the labor involved not only in producing the lamp itself, but also in the industries of animal rendering and metalworking that made it possible. By carefully documenting this utilitarian object, Grubstein elevates it to a subject worthy of artistic attention, blurring the lines between craft, design, and fine art. It reminds us that even the most humble objects can tell compelling stories about labor, resourcefulness, and the ingenuity of everyday life.