Shelf Clock c. 1938

Curator: This watercolor and ink drawing from around 1938 depicts a shelf clock. I’m struck by the meticulous rendering, the detail applied to an object of everyday life. What catches your eye? Editor: I'm interested in the combination of media— watercolor and ink on paper. What's revealed by understanding these material choices? Curator: Well, consider the social context. The 1930s: mass production, economic hardship, but also a growing interest in American craftsmanship. This drawing captures both. The watercolor and ink are relatively accessible media; think about who might have had access to fine art materials versus these more humble options. Editor: It feels like a documentation almost, an inventory. Was this artist thinking about mass production, or more focused on this specific clock as an individual object? Curator: I think it’s both, isn't it? The artist meticulously renders a mass-produced object, highlighting its construction, its material presence. Look closely at the wood grain simulated through the watercolor. What labor was involved in *making* a shelf clock at that time? Where was that clock produced? Whose labor drove that production? Editor: That’s a great point. Were there other objects that the artist chose to represent at this time? Curator: What other domestic objects were gaining prominence, and being impacted by manufacturing processes? Chairs, radios... household appliances intended for consumption. This artwork encourages to really *see* those objects and the systems that created them. Editor: Thinking about this piece as connected to material culture and the history of manufacturing adds so much depth. I hadn't considered it in that light. Curator: Exactly! Focusing on the materials and mode of production offers a potent lens. Now when you see this clock, or another like it, what do you notice? Editor: I notice the way the drawing prompts us to consider the lives, the hands, behind its production.