Sign 1935 - 1942

This watercolor, titled "Sign", presents an intriguing tableau crafted by an anonymous artist. The artwork depicts a figure leading a pig across what appears to be a giant knife. The original piece was intended to become a 32-inch-long sign. Without a known artist, we turn to the symbolism within the image. The pig, often associated with both sustenance and stubbornness, is being led, or perhaps coerced, across the blade. This resonates with historical dynamics of power and control, where certain groups or individuals are led, sometimes unwillingly, towards a metaphorical "slaughter." The man above brandishes a thin whip. What societal structures or cultural expectations are being laid bare here? The knife itself adds another layer of interpretation. Is it an instrument of survival or of aggression? In the end, the work pushes us to consider the complex interplay between domination and vulnerability. It asks us to consider our own roles in these dynamics.