Pewter Pan 1935 - 1942

Arsen Maralian made this quiet and contemplative drawing of a pewter pan at an unknown date using graphite on paper. Look at the gradations of tone, from the soft grays to the darker shadows! The artist must have been completely absorbed in the careful observation of this everyday object, really studying its form and surface. I can imagine Maralian being very deliberate in his mark-making, building up the image with layers of graphite, almost caressing the paper. There's a sense of stillness about the piece. It makes me think about the beauty that can be found in simple things if we just take the time to really see them. What do you think Maralian was trying to convey by drawing this object? I can think about all the artists who chose to paint bowls of fruit and pitchers - Morandi comes to mind - choosing the quiet and familiar over the grand and epic.