Frame for Mirror 1935 - 1942

Editor: Here we have a drawing entitled "Frame for Mirror," made sometime between 1935 and 1942 using watercolor and colored pencil. I'm really drawn to the symmetry and detail of the eagle perched at the top. It has a neoclassical, almost federalist feel. What historical context informs your interpretation of this work? Curator: It's interesting that you pick up on those stylistic references. Decorative arts, and especially items like mirror frames, are so telling about aspirational values during particular periods. Thinking about the date range you gave, the US was in the throes of the Depression and on the eve of World War II. The idealized eagle motif speaks volumes about desired national strength and prosperity. Do you see any irony in creating a drawing for an opulent object like a mirror frame during such a time of widespread economic hardship? Editor: Absolutely! Maybe this piece reflects a longing for a return to better times or perhaps, for the artist, it’s a form of escapism? It makes you wonder who the intended audience was, and if such a frame would even be accessible to many. Curator: Precisely. Was this for a wealthy patron looking to hold on to old world values or was this meant to be a mass produced object that brings those references into the homes of the common person? We also need to remember how art institutions shaped art, like how the government’s WPA program, which aimed to put artists to work. Knowing those institutions and structures definitely frames my thoughts. Editor: It’s fascinating to consider those different social possibilities and to view art production in terms of larger systems of power. It really emphasizes the public role art occupies! Thanks for giving me a richer lens through which to appreciate this "Frame for Mirror". Curator: And thank you for your questions, which pushed me to consider it more broadly myself.