Bracelets c. 1936

Editor: So, this is *Bracelets*, a drawing from around 1936 by William P. Shearwood, made with ink on paper. They remind me of artifacts, like from an ancient tomb, though there is also a crisp, art-deco quality, too. What first strikes you about the arrangement and detail? Curator: I see not just bracelets, but emblems of power, perhaps even imprisonment. The one at the top mimics a belt, a symbol of control, cinching and defining. What does a bracelet *do* except constrain? Even the golden hue suggests preciousness, a binding value we place on ourselves. What about the chains? Editor: Interesting. I saw them as decorative, adding a bit of flair. Does the geometric style affect how we perceive them? Curator: Absolutely. Geometric shapes provide order, but can also symbolize restriction when applied to adornment. Think about it - even the perfect circle of the lower bracelet is unbroken, an endless, perhaps inescapable, loop. It is like a symbolic shackle. The art deco influence adds an interesting layer because the style embodies both progress and luxury during a period of immense socio-political upheaval. Do you think that contradiction comes through here? Editor: Yes, now I do! There's beauty and precision, but also that underlying tension. I’d not considered the shapes to suggest limitation. Curator: Shearwood, through the simple rendering of jewellery, presents a visual puzzle about freedom and the allure of ornamentation. An almost psychological reading is possible, as they are both visually stunning and suggest an oppression through their very visual presence. Editor: I am taking away new appreciation for how adornment carries deeper meaning. Thanks! Curator: And I am intrigued how these bracelets sparkled even a discussion around more darker possibilities and historical awareness.