Chest Design 1935 - 1942

Etna Wiswall designed this chest with paint at an unknown date. Can you feel Etna’s hand in each brushstroke as she painted this gorgeous chest design? The eye travels through a dense network of swirling vines, peachy flowers, and these two beautiful red birds perched on either side of a grand, stylized vase. I’m curious about her process. Was it all planned out? What was she thinking? Did she begin with the central vase and work outwards, or did the birds come first? Did she build it up slowly, maybe adjusting, correcting, and refining as she went along? I wonder if she was inspired by Pennsylvania Dutch folk art motifs? The tulips, hearts, and birds are typical of that style. Etna’s work reminds us that artists are in constant dialogue with one another, across time, inspiring each other’s creativity. Painting allows for multiple interpretations, embracing ambiguity, rather than fixed meanings.