The artwork “The Politecnico Table” was created by Saul Steinberg in 1974. As an exemplar of the Pop Art movement, the piece is categorized in the still life genre. This work is indicative of the movement’s focus on everyday objects and commercial and popular imagery, and it presents a collection of items that are both recognizable and everyday in nature.
The artwork is a carefully arranged assortment of objects that appear to be affixed to a wooden board background, creating a sense of depth and narrative. Central to the composition is what seems to be a landscape drawing, featuring a series of small figures lined across the horizon beneath a blank sky, possibly alluding to human uniformity or conformity. Above and around this central piece are various items, including stamps, coins, architectural plans, and personal documents bearing official seals and signatures, suggestive of bureaucracy and personal identity verification.
On the lower part of the board, one notices writing instruments—a pencil and a fountain pen—further emphasizing the theme of drafting and creation, a nod to the artist’s own tools of trade. Peculiarly, these objects cast shadows, giving them a trompe-l’oeil effect, as if they are three-dimensional objects lying on top of the surface. This interplay between two-dimensionality and illusion of depth is characteristic of Steinberg’s art, often engaging viewers in a visual dialogue of perception and reality.
Each item is meticulously placed, as if curated for examination, and the overall effect is a composition that reflects on themes of authorship, identity, and the banal artifacts of bureaucratic and professional life that define personal and social existence. As with much of Pop Art, “The Politecnico Table” encourages viewers to find the extraordinary in the ordinary, blurring the boundaries between high art and common experience.
