Three Door Handles c. 1936

This is a drawing by Hans Korsch of three door handles. Although undated, Korsch lived between 1855 and 1995. The drawing presents a mundane subject in an objective style. It’s likely Korsch was interested in the social history of everyday objects. The style of the handles places them at the intersection of craft production and industrial manufacture. The handles would have been ubiquitous in homes and businesses across Europe and North America. The drawing presents them to us almost as specimens, raising questions about mass production, distribution, and consumption. To truly understand the drawing, we need to research the material history of these objects. Catalogues, trade publications, and design journals would help us better understand the object. Art is always contingent on social and institutional context.