Shaving Mug 1935 - 1942

Editor: So, this is "Shaving Mug" by Yolande Delasser, probably done between 1935 and 1942. It’s a watercolor and drawing combination. There’s something almost haunting about it – a simple object elevated with such detail. What symbols do you see here? Curator: Well, first consider the object itself: a shaving mug. It speaks to rituals of masculinity, personal grooming, and even a sort of domestic order. The ornate detailing, rendered with such precision, contrasts sharply with the mug's utilitarian purpose, suggesting perhaps a yearning for beauty in the everyday. Note the colouration-- how would you relate brown to emotions or memory? Editor: Brown seems so grounded, like earth. And a little… nostalgic, maybe? Does the circular design in the centre add something, too? Curator: Absolutely. Circular motifs often represent wholeness, unity, or cyclical time. Its inclusion here, within this otherwise mundane object, hints at something beyond the immediate function. Perhaps it connects the act of shaving to a larger cultural narrative, or a generational cycle of male identity. What do you make of the rather grand handle design? Editor: It looks very decorative. Does that say something about who might have used the mug? Perhaps someone who enjoyed the finer things? Or who aspired to it? Curator: Precisely. Think about the time it was created, the pre-war era. Objects often carried more weight then, acting as silent storytellers of aspiration and identity. Editor: It's amazing how a simple mug can reveal so much. Thanks, I would never have guessed so much meaning. Curator: Indeed. Even the most ordinary objects are saturated with the potential for cultural significance, if only we take the time to see.