Shaker Baskets c. 1937

Curator: Before us, we have "Shaker Baskets," a drawing on paper crafted around 1937 by Orville Cline. Editor: My immediate reaction is one of tranquility. The muted tones and careful weaving detail really evoke a sense of calm domesticity. Curator: It's interesting you say that. The Shakers were, of course, a religious sect deeply committed to simplicity, community, and a life divorced from worldly extravagance. Objects like these baskets were central to their way of life. Editor: Absolutely. Notice how the artist renders the texture of the woven material. The variations in line and tone really bring out the materiality of the baskets. The simple rectangular forms, slightly skewed, give an understated aesthetic pleasure. Curator: Yes, and this is where Cline’s drawing becomes more than just an object study. It’s a window into Shaker values, their emphasis on utility and their innovative approach to design and craftsmanship. Consider how these designs circulated and were adopted across broader society. Editor: Indeed. And look how Cline emphasizes the form of each individual woven strand to make up a pattern; it really draws the eye into the structure. It highlights that tension between utility and craft in an object. Curator: And in this drawing we see the tension between Shaker communities striving for self-sufficiency and also the reality that by the 1930’s mass-produced goods threatened their existence. Cline may be highlighting, by using the precision of realism, what mass-produced goods cannot offer. Editor: Looking at it that way gives me a much wider social context of the time this was created in. A fascinating and beautiful piece, all the more for the layers it reveals. Curator: Precisely, understanding Cline's work through the lens of Shaker history allows us to reflect on these cultural artifacts and their shifting meanings over time.