Fire Hose Reel c. 1938

Hans Mangelsdorf made this drawing of a Fire Hose Reel, and who knows exactly when, but it feels like it's been drawn with a lot of precision and care. I love how the lines are so delicate, almost like he's tracing the ghost of the object. It's all about the details here, right? Look at the wheels, each spoke meticulously rendered, or the tiny red lanterns. There is such attention to the structure of the object, but it's not dry or technical. Notice how the light falls on the metal and wood, creating these subtle shadows that give it depth. It’s like he’s not just drawing a machine, but also capturing its spirit, the glint of metal and the warmth of wood, all coming together. This reminds me a bit of Charles Sheeler, another artist who found beauty in the everyday objects and machines around him. But where Sheeler's work is often cool and detached, Mangelsdorf's feels more intimate, like a love letter to the tools that shape our world. Art always in conversation, always responding to each other across time.