Pa. German Stove Plate c. 1936

Curator: Elmer G. Anderson created this pencil drawing of a "Pa. German Stove Plate" around 1936. The work renders a relief design with two birds perched above the date "1769." What are your initial thoughts? Editor: It evokes a faded memory...the soft greys almost like a dream. I feel a stillness about it, but there is also a quiet pride embedded in this seemingly simple rendering of an old object. Curator: The "stove plate" itself, common in Pennsylvania German homes, acted as a kind of radiator, radiating warmth into the living space. But it was more than functional. Editor: Exactly! It functioned, sure, but was clearly imbued with layers of meaning. The birds are fascinating. Across cultures, birds frequently symbolize the soul, freedom, messages... are these birds lovebirds, a couple initiating a hearth, home, family? And rendering this imagery using a modern pencil seems like the artist intended for a reinterpretation of the original object in order to make their own. Curator: I love that reading. These plates often feature motifs reflecting family, faith, or community values. The "1769" is presumably the year of manufacture. You know, I am really drawn to this toned paper on which the drawing is executed, the effect provides such a delicate nostalgia. Editor: That's an interesting tension isn't it? The very act of selecting toned paper emphasizes its historic quality but then undermines the whole intention by only being a *drawing* of a stove plate and not the actual stove plate itself, which brings an air of whimsy! What would we even DO with a drawing of an antiquated heating appliance anyway? A clever disruption! The artist wants to bring that deep history into a new and even absurd light, making room for joy. Curator: This piece feels incredibly tender, almost like Anderson found solace in representing this piece of history, finding some comfort. Maybe warmth—literally and metaphorically—in times of uncertainty? Editor: A gentle claiming of heritage then. Like finding solace in a symbol that represents home, roots... It's more than meets the eye. Thanks for pointing out those little lovebirds, I suspect you were spot on the mark!