Field Keg
c. 1939
Edward L. Loper brings a humble wooden barrel to life with incredible precision in this 1939 design study. The rich, warm tones of the wood staves and the gleaming metal hoops suggest a sturdy vessel ready for the field, complete with a practical carrying handle and a corked bung. As part of the modernist movement, Loper elevates an everyday utilitarian object into a subject worthy of careful artistic observation, proving that beauty can be found in the most practical of tools. It's a fascinating look at how artists in the 1930s documented historical artifacts and everyday design.