Waistcoat 1935 - 1942

Editor: Here we have an academic drawing from 1935-1942, titled "Waistcoat." It's rendered in pencil and colored pencil by an anonymous artist. What jumps out at me is the detailed latticework; it almost has a jewel-like quality. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Indeed. It’s the garment’s design language speaking volumes across the ages. Consider the waistcoat itself; historically a mark of status, control, and perhaps, a self-conscious display of affluence. Then, note the rhomboid pattern; it suggests order and structured hierarchy but also openness with implied social networks and interconnectedness. This is amplified by what seems to be decorative elements bordering each losange, which may represent adornments that carry meaning specific to the owner's origins or cultural identity. Editor: That’s fascinating. So, the waistcoat, typically viewed as a simple garment, actually becomes a sort of map, charting societal position. But what of the missing body? Curator: Exactly! And there's the critical point. By illustrating the waistcoat alone, it asks if the clothing makes the person, if it holds any real significance beyond the merely decorative. Where is the implied person’s inner self if defined purely by externals? Do we lose something vital by placing an emphasis upon superficial characteristics of dress, of wealth, or fashion? How did a drawing like this serve academic pursuits at that time? Editor: It is eerie and quite poignant to consider what lies underneath all of our garments, all the signifiers we flaunt daily. I’ll certainly think about clothes differently from now on! Curator: And hopefully see past them as well, into what truly makes us unique.