Lamp c. 1936

Arsen Maralian made this pencil drawing of a lamp, and even without knowing the date, we can still consider the image as a kind of document. Here, the pencil work is smooth, almost metallic in its effect, an aesthetic associated with industrial design. The lamp itself has a practical, manufactured appearance and form. It is reminiscent of pewter objects that would have been found in American homes. While the drawing is not necessarily remarkable, it is indicative of the influence of mass production on everyday life. The labor is present in the carefully rendered details, but the lamp's design also speaks to a time when manufactured goods were becoming more accessible to a wider range of people. The significance of this seemingly straightforward drawing lies in its reflection of broader trends of industrialization, labor, and the democratization of design, challenging our ideas about art, craft, and everyday life.