Portable Secretary c. 1937

Curator: This delicate pencil drawing from around 1937 is called "Portable Secretary" and was created by Edward L. Loper. It meticulously depicts… well, a portable secretary! What are your initial thoughts? Editor: It strikes me as incredibly precise and a little bit…sad. The detail is astonishing, the wood grain looks so real. But the colors are muted, almost sepia-toned. It feels like a memory. Curator: Indeed. Loper's realism here serves a specific function. We should remember this was the tail end of the Great Depression. Objects like this represented a certain aspirational middle class stability, particularly important within the socio-political context of that era. Access to education and refined tools was key. Editor: I see what you mean. It speaks of upward mobility and the hope associated with personal growth, the ability to conduct business anywhere. Tell me more about how something like this portable desk fits into the public's relationship with art at the time. Curator: Certainly. The 1930s saw an increased focus on American craftsmanship. Exhibitions showcasing designs like this emphasized functional beauty. Moreover, art institutions began implementing outreach programs designed to educate the general public on art's broader socio-economic purpose within communities. Editor: The object itself feels almost gendered to me as well. The delicate fan details in the corners combined with the…is that a slipper? in the central medallion reads as coded in a particular way. How did women interact with the professionalization hinted at by this piece of furniture? Curator: That’s a sharp reading. Women were increasingly entering professional spheres but often confined to specific roles. The desk, portable as it is, becomes an interesting space of negotiation between domesticity and emerging professional life. It becomes an intersectional touchpoint of identity in this light. Editor: Fascinating. Considering the turbulent social context it came out of, it offers insight on that era's dreams. I appreciate how this highlights the importance of the portable secretary beyond its simple function, prompting considerations of gender, economics, and the individual. Curator: Precisely, its historical setting amplifies its narrative, shifting our understanding of art. It offers a lens through which to reflect on contemporary society.