Pewter Tankard c. 1936

Henry Meyers made this pencil drawing of a pewter tankard, sometime in the 20th century. The whole thing is rendered in delicate grey tones, like a grayscale photograph. It’s an observational study, carefully composed on the page with smaller diagrams in each corner. I like how the soft shading gives the tankard a real sense of depth and weight. The metallic surface seems to gleam, catching light in a way that feels very precise. The lines are thin, tentative, but there’s also a sureness to the hand, especially in the handle. It’s almost like you can feel the artist slowly building up the form, contour by contour. Looking at the way the artist has captured the way light plays across the surface, I’m reminded of the still life drawings of Giorgio Morandi, who also used simple, everyday objects to create studies of light and shadow. I think it's a really beautiful reminder that there's always something new to discover in the everyday.