Butcher's Sign c. 1938

Vera Van Voris created this "Butcher's Sign" using watercolor on paper. While the medium is traditional, its subject matter – a sign comprised of the tools of the butchery trade – elevates the everyday. Van Voris has carefully rendered the forms and textures of what appears to be forged iron. The rusty brown color palette adds to the sense of the material’s inherent qualities and the labor it represents. The artist calls attention to the various tools used in the process of butchering: a cleaver, a bone saw, and even a small figure of a bull, all arranged in a heraldic composition. The work’s social significance lies in its tribute to skilled trades and the working class. It is tempting to think that Van Voris is not only documenting, but also ennobling these objects. She highlights the visual interest and cultural value of tools often overlooked in the realm of fine art. Ultimately, Van Voris’ "Butcher's Sign" reminds us to consider the artistic merit and cultural value embedded in the tools and trades that shape our everyday lives.