Pewter Teapot 1936

Janet Riza rendered this Pewter Teapot as a pencil drawing sometime in the late 20th century. The drawing is concerned with the function and design of everyday objects. This piece seems to suggest a renewed interest in craft, industry and design. The drawing includes several technical elements such as side views and measurements which gives insight into how design drawings developed historically. In particular, the Bauhaus school developed a new symbiosis between art and industry. It taught design principles alongside craft skills and it put forward a new approach to art education. It saw no separation between fine art and applied art. To understand this drawing fully, we might look at examples from design schools and art schools and also trade publications. By looking at historical and institutional contexts we can start to trace how ideas circulate and shape artistic practice.