Glass Bell c. 1936

Editor: Here we have "Glass Bell," a watercolor, pencil, and paper drawing from around 1936 by Samuel O. Klein. It’s quite delicate. The almost translucent quality of the bell contrasts with the crisp calligraphy. How would you approach this piece? Curator: What interests me is the process—the very making of such a seemingly fragile object captured through the labor-intensive acts of drawing, watercoloring, and even calligraphy. It seems to fetishize the handmade in an era of increasing industrialization. Does the inscription offer a clue? Editor: Yes, it looks like “World’s Fair” is inscribed within the bell and then there’s another circular inscription above of "Columbian Exposition. World’s 1893"... Why do you think that's relevant? Curator: Well, the Columbian Exposition was a massive display of industrial progress, but also a celebration of arts and crafts. To depict this souvenir nearly 40 years later in such a painstaking way highlights the changing value and perception of labor and material culture. The choice of watercolor on paper further emphasizes a connection to traditional art practices, a contrast to mass-produced glass objects. Editor: So you're saying that Klein is perhaps commenting on the tension between mass production, which the fair celebrated, and individual artistic expression? The material choices highlight this? Curator: Precisely. It compels us to consider what kind of work, what kind of skill, is valued when and by whom. How does the drawing itself become a commodity? It's about making us question the hierarchy between what’s considered art versus craft. Editor: That makes a lot of sense! I hadn't considered how the act of drawing it becomes part of its meaning. Curator: It certainly changes our view, doesn’t it? Now, look at those barely there pencil lines, suggesting mass production... What do *they* tell you about artistic skill? Editor: Interesting! This changed the way I see artistic intentions.