Glass c. 1937

Curator: Here we have Lillian Causey's "Glass," created around 1937, rendered in pencil and charcoal on paper. It’s a relatively simple composition, just a meticulously drawn glass, front and center. Editor: Well, isn’t it neat? Something about its delicate shadings gives it this dreamlike quality. Like, I can almost feel the coolness of the glass, imagine the condensation beading on the surface... Curator: Yes, the skillful layering of graphite creates an almost photographic realism. The materiality of the glass is evident; you see the varying thicknesses, the play of light refracting through it, likely indicating mass-produced, machine-cut crystal or pressed glass common in the period. Editor: It’s also making me think about everyday life in the 1930s. Was this a family's prized possession? Or maybe just a regular water glass from Woolworth's, trying to bring beauty to ordinary existence during hard times. Curator: Precisely. Consumption practices and domestic material culture of the Depression era often reflect a desire to maintain normalcy amidst hardship. The production and accessibility of such glassware points to shifting economic and social realities of the period. The emphasis on simple, functional forms, as seen here, speaks to streamlined manufacturing processes of that period, democratizing access to aesthetic pleasure for the masses. Editor: What’s compelling too is that choice of a seemingly mundane subject. Is there a commentary on the quiet elegance amidst the larger narrative of socioeconomic crisis? Curator: Possibly, I agree with you. Consider the deliberate rendering; this drawing elevates the ordinary. There is a focus on formal precision as if imbuing an object meant for daily consumption with fine-art attention. And, moreover, mass production altered the meaning of glass; no longer just for the elite, it symbolized middle-class values. Editor: So it’s both humble and ambitious, like, trying to capture fleeting beauty in a glass. Curator: Precisely! Reflecting on it, this humble vessel reflects larger issues. Editor: Such a thought-provoking meditation for something so…transparent.