Jar c. 1936

Editor: This watercolor piece, simply titled "Jar," created around 1936 by Jules Lefevere, showcases a folk-art style jar with a bird design. It has this humble, almost nostalgic feel. What's your take on it? Curator: Well, I find myself drawn to the means of its creation. We have a 'folk art' image depicted through the high-art lens of watercolor. The layering of medium becomes a comment itself on cultural and economic values of "high" and "low" art forms. How might the depicted ceramic jar be placed into conversation with watercolors of its time? Editor: Interesting point! It does blur the lines. I guess I hadn't really considered why this artwork existed. What does it tell us about daily life, materials, and production? Curator: This isn't just a rendering of some common kitchen item. Watercolor on paper mimics craft with delicacy. Consider the production involved: clay transformed into jar; then its design; the firing, the glazing - with these acts captured with layered watercolors on paper, and the implicit labor contained. I think it reflects how handmade processes were still valued alongside machine-made goods in the early 20th century. The jar as subject holds equal material import as the watercolours used to replicate it! Editor: So you’re saying the choice of watercolor isn't just about aesthetics, but it’s highlighting this tension between different types of production, like craft versus...industry? Curator: Precisely. Lefevere prompts us to think about how we attribute value to objects and how artistic representation mediates this valuation. It seems important to explore, with sensitivity, who might be able to own or represent such items! Editor: Wow, I didn't see all of that! I learned how much you can interpret an artwork from a material perspective, revealing connections between labor, value, and representation. Curator: Yes, looking closely at materials can lead us down some fascinating avenues, beyond what is plainly visible on the surface.