Inkwell c. 1937

Editor: This is "Inkwell," a watercolor and ink drawing from around 1937 by Charles Caseau. I find it kind of unassuming, almost like a technical drawing. What do you make of it? Curator: Well, immediately, it strikes me as a relic of a very particular time and place, especially given the inscription: "C. Crolius, Stoneware Manufacturer, Manhattan Wells, New York." Manhattan Wells – before it became just "Manhattan" – speaks volumes about the city's rapid growth and transformation. What function did artwork like this perform, outside the simple presentation? Editor: What do you mean? It looks pretty straightforward. Curator: Consider the broader context. By the 1930s, modernism had largely dismissed the overtly decorative. Functional objects like inkwells, even stoneware ones, were being streamlined and mass-produced. An artwork celebrating a stoneware manufacturer implies perhaps nostalgia for craft traditions, a counter-narrative to the relentless march of industrialization. Editor: So, it’s about more than just an inkwell? Curator: Precisely! It's about the tension between tradition and progress, artisan and industry, local production and the looming forces of globalization, even back then. This watercolor preserves a moment when handcrafted stoneware from Manhattan Wells still mattered, visually celebrating its relevance when so much changed around it. Editor: I hadn't considered all that. I thought it was just a simple drawing, but now it seems charged with cultural meaning. Curator: It’s in these small details we perceive cultural anxieties reflected through art. Recognizing socio-political context in art such as this helps unlock these complex histories. Editor: Thanks, it's helpful to know that the location indicated in the painting serves a broader commentary. I appreciate your insight!