Frame for a Mirror 1935 - 1943

Curator: Here we have Nicholas Gorid's "Frame for a Mirror," likely conceived sometime between 1935 and 1943. It's a detailed drawing, a plan, really, executed in line. What catches your eye first? Editor: Well, it's utterly charming! It whispers of another era, a certain elegance lost, perhaps. I imagine seeing it hanging in some grand, yet slightly faded, salon. It's got this quirky symmetry, like a perfectly choreographed dance gone slightly off-kilter. Curator: Exactly! These design drawings offer such insight. You see how the frame incorporates floral and geometric elements? Note the precision. Each curlicue seems carefully considered within its decorative-art style. It gives a sense of control and intention. Editor: And that precision contrasts so sharply with the feeling it evokes. The sketch-like quality makes it feel approachable, almost homemade. You can almost smell the old paper and the faint whiff of ink. What kind of mirrors would be used with this frame? Curator: Well, if you consider Gorid's wider milieu and the socio-political context, these were turbulent times. An object like this suggests both aspiration and perhaps escape—a desire to retreat into beauty. The mirror reflecting an idealised vision, of course. Editor: An escape indeed! But even beyond the context, I'm thinking about how we all want to gaze into our mirrors and look attractive. Gorid reminds me how precious it is to be able to feel attractive, and maybe with this kind of mirror frame our daily worries just vanish when we see the art reflecting on ourselves. Curator: That resonates deeply. The very act of framing—whether a mirror, a painting, or even a moment—it’s a statement about what we value, what we choose to showcase to the world and even to ourselves. Editor: Absolutely! Looking at it this way is a reminder of why we're doing this. Thank you.