Corner Cupboard 1935 - 1942

Editor: So this is Ferdinand Cartier’s “Corner Cupboard,” drawn between 1935 and 1942, rendered on paper. I'm struck by its meticulous linework and almost mathematical precision. How do you interpret this piece, focusing on its formal aspects? Curator: Immediately, I'm drawn to the geometry inherent within its construction. Observe how Cartier balances the severe verticals and horizontals with the softened arch at the top. The semi-circular fan detail interrupts what could be considered a stark, utilitarian outline with an element of artifice, doesn’t it? Note, too, the contrasting rectangles used within the doors. Editor: Yes, the geometric relationships are quite striking! Do you think the different shapes create a visual hierarchy? Curator: Precisely! The artist encourages our eyes to track vertical and horizontal vectors as we read the diagram. The arch suggests openness, offering a softening element amidst the diagram’s many right angles. The scale rendering seems intended not only to communicate the design’s physical parameters but to highlight this particular piece of furniture’s functionality and practicality, qualities considered particularly important in functionalist approaches. The empty shelves could be seen as invoking what is not materially represented in the drawing. Editor: That's fascinating. I hadn't considered the absence as a focal point. Thanks, this deeper formal analysis really shifts how I see it. Curator: My pleasure. Hopefully you will consider form and function in your analysis going forward.