Hide Covered Trunk c. 1937

Curator: Samuel O. Klein’s circa 1937 "Hide Covered Trunk," rendered with watercolor and charcoal, offers a glimpse into a bygone era. Editor: It’s strikingly muted. The pale browns and creams create a soft, almost dreamlike impression of a sturdy, functional object. Curator: The composition is meticulous, featuring a frontal view alongside architectural sketches around the principal image, lending insight to Klein's method and intentions. Note the precise detailing in the hardware, and the tonal shifts across the "hide" of the trunk. Editor: That hide… it begs the question: what did trunks like this symbolize? Security, secrets, travel to the unknown. These objects stored precious belongings, stories of their owners preserved inside. Curator: Indeed, the hide evokes themes of frontier life, while the geometric pattern created with what appear to be brass tacks introduce an interesting tension—functionality meets ornamentation. Editor: Exactly. The hardware—clasps, corner protectors—convey practicality, safeguarding the intangible values of sentiment and memory attached to its contents. Curator: The artistic skill here resides in Klein’s precise replication of the hide’s texture. Note the direction and subtlety of his brush strokes. How the material mimics woodgrain. He seems to use watercolor here almost like pointillism in places, dotting darker hues to give depth. Editor: Considering it was likely created during the height of the Great Depression, this artistic decision to memorialize this rather humble artifact speaks volumes. Was it meant as a functional piece, a purely decorative object? Both perhaps? Curator: A question for continued scholarship. It highlights the aesthetic value that can be found in everyday objects, especially in that period of relative want. Editor: Yes. Klein urges us to observe a familiar container with fresh appreciation—a treasure chest not for gold but of something deeply sentimental. Curator: Precisely. Editor: I’ll certainly never look at an old trunk the same way again.