Shaker Case for Knitting Needles 1935 - 1942

Editor: This is a drawing entitled "Shaker Case for Knitting Needles," created between 1935 and 1942 by Elizabeth Moutal, using pencil and paper. It's quite striking in its simplicity; almost diagrammatic, but with these really vibrant red and muted gray colors. What’s your interpretation of this work? Curator: Well, immediately, I see more than just a practical object rendered on paper. The Shakers, a religious sect, were known for their commitment to simplicity, functionality, and quality in their crafts. To understand this drawing, we have to consider the historical role of women within the Shaker community and the importance of craft as a form of labor and spiritual expression. Knitting, for instance, became intertwined with their identity. Does the medium, a pencil drawing, affect your impression of the piece? Editor: Absolutely. I think knowing it’s a drawing gives it this interesting tension. It’s a representation of a functional object, but also a work of art in itself. Curator: Exactly. The choice of representing a practical object used by women invites us to question gendered labor roles within the Shaker community. Were they simply craftspeople, or were their creations, infused with their beliefs, a quiet act of resistance or perhaps spiritual devotion within the constraints of their society? And what does it say about us, looking at it now? Editor: That's a great point. It makes me think about the value we place on domestic crafts, traditionally seen as “women's work,” versus “high art”. I definitely didn't think of it that way initially. Curator: See how art can bridge conversations about historical and social issues that affect women's work? Hopefully this will enrich how we approach art today.