Side Saddle c. 1941

Editor: Here we have "Side Saddle," a piece from around 1941 by Sydney Roberts. It looks like it's crafted using watercolors and maybe some drawing techniques. I’m struck by the quiet intimacy of it—it’s not a grand, sweeping landscape, but this very particular, ornate object. What details grab your attention in this work? Curator: You know, it's funny, isn't it? How a simple object can carry such weight. For me, it’s the meticulous detail. Roberts seems utterly absorbed in rendering every stitch and floral flourish. It's as if the saddle isn’t just an object but a character, a silent partner in countless journeys. Do you feel that stillness as well, almost a haunting quality? Editor: Absolutely! I hadn’t thought of it as a character before, but that reframes my whole understanding of the piece. Is that stillness tied to the fact it’s from the 1940s, do you think? Curator: Perhaps. It was a time of great upheaval and uncertainty, yet life went on. I imagine this saddle being used in everyday life. Maybe Roberts found solace in documenting the textures and colors of this ordinary object amid extraordinary times. It's an act of quiet defiance, wouldn't you say? Paying attention to what's present and lasting. Editor: That gives the saddle so much more dimension. Now I'm seeing not just the object itself but a symbol of resilience, even stubbornness! Thank you—this changed the way I view still life entirely. Curator: My pleasure! And you've reminded me that art always holds a conversation waiting to happen; sometimes, you need a fresh set of eyes to jumpstart it.