Vase 1937

Dana Bartlett rendered this vase drawing with watercolor and graphite. The delicate, stylized floral motifs adorning the vase are a testament to the enduring power of symbols across time. These quatrefoils—four-lobed floral designs—echo patterns found in ancient heraldry and religious art. Recall, for instance, the rose windows of Gothic cathedrals, where similar shapes mediated divine light, infusing sacred spaces with a sense of the sublime. Here, in Bartlett's design, the quatrefoil is simplified and abstracted. Yet, it retains a subtle connection to its rich past, evoking associations with harmony and the cycle of life. The vase itself, a vessel designed to contain and display, further amplifies this cyclical theme. We are reminded of the ancient Greek amphorae or Chinese porcelain vases, each bearing witness to human creativity and cultural exchange. These vessels, much like Bartlett’s design, are imbued with a life of their own, carrying echoes of past meanings into our present moment.