Cream Pitcher c. 1936

Ella Josephine Sterling created this watercolor painting of a cream pitcher. Sterling was a woman of many talents, a California historian and writer. It's interesting to consider how Sterling, as a woman in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, navigated the art world and her professional life. She wrote about Chinese folklore in California which emphasizes an interest in cultural narratives that were often marginalized or overlooked. The cream pitcher itself, an everyday object, speaks to domesticity, which has historically been associated with women's roles. This painting offers us a glimpse into the cultural values and gendered expectations of Sterling's time, as well as the artistic traditions she either embraced or sought to subvert. It may evoke in us feelings of nostalgia or curiosity about simpler times.