Gate 1935 - 1942

Editor: This watercolor drawing, titled "Gate," was created between 1935 and 1942. It features various farming tools presented in a very formal, almost ceremonial way, with an architectural frame. It reminds me a little of WPA murals depicting industry and labor. What's your take on it? Curator: It’s interesting you mention WPA murals, because this piece sits in a similar cultural moment. Consider the Farm Security Administration, documenting rural America. How do you think this drawing fits within that context? It appears like a very deliberate archiving. Editor: I see what you mean. There is a sense of preservation, but the composition feels idealized. The tools aren't just tools; they're elevated, like museum artifacts or symbols of rural life. It makes me wonder about its intended audience. Curator: Exactly. Were these images meant for rural communities themselves or for urban audiences romanticizing the agrarian past? The architectural "gate" motif underscores the framed separation and maybe a selective viewpoint, almost obscuring realities on the ground at the time, especially regarding economic hardships in agricultural regions. Editor: So it's not just a picture of farm tools but a commentary on the socio-economic landscape? What about the style? Is there a reason why it takes inspiration from the Academic style of painting? Curator: The realism inherent to Academic style emphasizes that documentation feel. However, that sense of reality could just as well lend authority and validation to those idyllic representations and become vehicles of propaganda. Would you say this image serves a clear function for the culture of its time? Editor: I guess I had seen it as more straightforward, but hearing your interpretation helps me see the complexities beneath the surface of a simple image of farm tools. Thanks! Curator: It goes to show how deeply entangled the political and aesthetic dimensions of art can be, doesn't it? There's a lot going on here once we consider the drawing as a social object.