Pilot House Figure (Eagle) c. 1937

Curator: Welcome. We’re looking at "Pilot House Figure (Eagle)," a watercolor made around 1937 by Walter Hochstrasser. Editor: The colors strike me first. The brown and gray tones of the eagle, contrasted with the red and white base – it feels very grounded, even stern. And the eagle's open beak—it’s almost shouting. Curator: It’s a depiction of a decorative figure, most likely carved in wood, designed for the pilot house of a ship. These eagles, and other figures, were symbols of prestige and national pride, heavily influenced by government projects from that time. The representation echoes official monumental sculpture but shrunk down. Editor: Given that period, it feels heavy with that familiar American symbolism. That symbol itself, of course, has a complicated legacy. Power and freedom for some were intertwined with dispossession and oppression for others. Is it intended to provoke a sense of authority, dominance, control? I can’t help but consider this legacy looking at the outstretched wings and fierce expression. Curator: That’s a valid observation, given the era. The figurehead’s display of nationalistic symbolism served multiple functions, asserting not just the ship owner’s status but also America’s place in global commerce. Editor: It's also worth thinking about how Hochstrasser chose to represent it. He selected watercolor, a medium not typically associated with grandeur, which creates an interesting tension. Curator: And yet he still manages to capture the weight and detail. This artwork brings to the fore ideas about commerce, patriotism, and how they materialize in art. Editor: Indeed. Viewing it today allows us to critically engage with that complicated, still-relevant relationship. Curator: Hopefully, visitors will contemplate its impact through the combined lenses of history, symbolism, and critical awareness. Editor: Agreed. It encourages looking deeper into that history.