Silver Spoon c. 1936

Charlotte Winter made this drawing of a ‘Silver Spoon’ in graphite on paper. The image presents two views of the spoon, along with a small technical diagram noting its dimensions. The phrase ‘born with a silver spoon in their mouth’ denotes someone of wealth and privilege, and this saying was certainly in common use in the United States by the time Winter made this drawing. This piece offers a quiet commentary on social class, contrasting the simple functional object with the loaded symbolism that it carries in society. Looking at this work, we might consider the rise of industrialization in the United States during Winter's lifetime, and the way this reshaped social structures and class divisions. Research into design history, social history, and even the etymology of common phrases would all help to understand the cultural context of this drawing.