Every few decades (at least in the past), artists and designers would remember and celebrate "The Workingman"—those men and women who labor physically with their hands and bodies. Think of the French painter, Jean-François Millet, with his paintings of peasants reaping grain in the field. Or the pair of Art Deco limestone sculptures by Michael Lantz which grace the Federal Trade Commission building in Washington, DC. Similarly, the 1960's and 1970's enjoyed a revived appreciation of handcraft—and the people who executed it.
Danish Modernist artist Karl Otto Johansen created a series of "tradesmen" plaques for Bing & Grøndahl around 1970. This example shows a farrier—a blacksmith who shoes horses—dressed in a leather apron, hammering furiously upon his anvil. The piece includes a metal eyelet (on back) with which it can be hung on a nail. Click on the photo above to learn more about it.
Though our Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed, LEO Design is still alive and well! Please visit our on-line store where we continue to sell Handsome Gifts (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).
We also can be found in Pittsburgh's historic "Strip District" at Mahla & Co. Antiques (www.mahlaantiques.com) or in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania at The Antique Center of Strabane (www.antiquecenterofstrabane.com).
Or call to arrange to visit our Pittsburgh showroom (by private appointment only). 917-446-4248
Follow us on Instagram: "leodesignhandsomegifts"
Follow us on Facebook: "LEO Design - Handsome Gifts"