Lamp c. 1940

This drawing of a lamp was made by John Dana, sometime between 1855 and 1995. Dana’s decision to depict a lamp in simple greyscale really emphasizes the form. The way the light and shadow are rendered makes the object feel really present. Looking closely, you can see the artist’s process – the subtle variations in tone, the soft gradations that give the lamp its volume. The base has this wonderful, blocky quality, contrasting with the smooth, almost inflated form of the lamp itself. It's like he’s inviting us to consider the object not just as a functional item, but as a study in light, shadow, and form. There's a sensitivity to the material here, a kind of reverence for the everyday object. This piece makes me think of Giorgio Morandi, who also spent his career quietly observing the still lives around him. Art is an ongoing conversation; the more you look, the more you see these connections emerge.