Wooden Medallion c. 1936

Curator: Florence Huston created this "Wooden Medallion" around 1936. It’s a circular wood carving in relief. What springs to mind for you when you see it? Editor: Immediately, the warmth of the wood. It evokes a certain nostalgia, that sepia-toned feeling like looking at old family photos. Is it meant to represent someone specific? Curator: Good eye. While it's unsigned, some believe it might be a portrait of Daniel-François-Esprit Auber, the composer. You see his name etched at the bottom of the medallion. Editor: Oh, I see it now! It is remarkable how much personality the artist has given to the profile, the detail of the hair, it feels more like an engraving or an impression from an coin. Curator: The choice of wood, I think, contributes to its intimate feel. Unlike marble or bronze, it has a tactility, a human quality. Each grain tells its own story. This texture offers something quite powerful for memory keeping as well. Editor: Absolutely. Medallions often commemorated leaders, mythological figures. So to see it carved into wood almost humanizes that tradition. It creates a dialogue between historical memory and nature itself. It becomes deeply symbolic. Curator: Indeed. The piece operates almost as a memento, and wood always holds a very different type of memory. I also imagine that it invites people to ask "Who was Auber?". It holds mystery in this sense as well. Editor: You're right, the wood itself whispers stories, unlike cold marble or austere bronze. It certainly feels less monumental and much more approachable, personal almost. Thank you. This was another great conversation to demystify the visual and materialize symbols that bring us together. Curator: Thanks! And thanks for illuminating those rich layers of symbolism, it makes my work as a cultural memory keeper worthwhile.