Decorated Box 1935 - 1942

Curator: We are looking at a rendering of a Decorated Box by Carl Strehlau, made sometime between 1935 and 1942. The artwork is a mixed media piece on paper, combining watercolor, drawing, and what appears to be wood or a representation of wood. Editor: Oh, I get a strong sense of folk art from this. It feels intimate and personal, like something you'd find tucked away in an attic, filled with old letters and forgotten trinkets. The colors are so muted yet cheerful at the same time. Curator: Indeed, folk art is definitely a relevant theme. The box’s decorations—the bird-like figure on one side and the plant-like decorations elsewhere—call to a type of traditional style, a connection to earlier forms of symbolic image making. What kind of symbolic impact do you see it having? Editor: Well, for me, there's a story here about hidden histories, both familial and cultural. Boxes have that magical property, don't they? They hold secrets. That abstracted bird form could represent freedom, while the plant forms might suggest the enduring spirit of nature, growing through tough times. There is that touch of decorative art flair that suggests something of personal expression, not just utilitarian purposes. Curator: That is certainly reflected in the artist, as his background does involve engagement with both art and nature. As the design's symbolic element becomes visible and is preserved over generations, one could make the claim that memory is contained and passed down like precious artifacts and treasured history. Editor: Exactly! And it’s amazing to think about the materials – watercolour bringing that sense of transient memory, on something as substantial as what is portrayed as the sturdy wood of a box! The image makes a viewer stop to pause and recall the value of everyday history. It could be anyone's childhood possession. It's not grand art; it's art about life's little containers. Curator: A wonderful note to end on: boxes within boxes, histories within histories! It’s that nested symbolism, resonating both personally and culturally that makes the Decorated Box so powerful. Editor: I have to agree – such an invitation to unlock the treasures within... both literal and figurative! Thanks for illuminating the layers in this piece.