Pewter Sugar Bowl 1935 - 1942

Editor: This is Charles Cullen’s “Pewter Sugar Bowl,” drawn between 1935 and 1942. The work is rendered in pencil and it really gives off a subdued and kind of nostalgic atmosphere. I’m curious about how the artist chose this subject, so seemingly mundane, but portrayed with such technical skill. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Well, first off, that little sugar bowl, to me, sings of domesticity, doesn't it? I imagine it sitting on a table, maybe with a lace doily underneath. And the artist really coaxed the light to give form to the ordinary. Almost a humble spotlight if that makes sense? I get the impression Cullen was trying to honor the beauty of everyday objects during pretty harsh times. Does the style say something about its function to you? Editor: It does actually. The realistic style, with those incredibly precise lines, elevates it above just a drawing. But it’s still… a sugar bowl. Almost feels like the artist is finding beauty where others wouldn't think to look. But it is still…odd that he’d draw it, even twice? Curator: You know, it might also hint at a certain longing, a craving for simplicity and sweetness – pardon the pun – during times of struggle. You’re right to note the secondary outline. It adds a different tone - more analytical, or even detached - from that original purpose. What kind of feelings do you have now toward sugar bowls and the era’s taste? Editor: Hmmm. So it could be read almost like a quiet protest? An embrace of the simple joys while the world’s in turmoil? That’s really interesting and has completely shifted my take on it! It really opens the work up beyond its straightforward representation of a sugar bowl. Curator: Exactly! I feel like I am stealing that from you but seeing your fresh perspective reminds us that the simplest art often whispers the loudest. The quiet becomes roaring like the 20’s!