Candlestick 1935 - 1942

Curator: What immediately strikes me is the quiet austerity. It's just a single candlestick, rendered with such precise realism in watercolor. There's a certain loneliness to it. Editor: I see that. Carl Buergerniss made this drawing, simply titled "Candlestick", sometime between 1935 and 1942, at a time of immense upheaval in Europe. I think it’s fascinating to consider that Buergerniss chose such an everyday object, likely mass-produced. How do you read this against that historical backdrop? Curator: I think it reveals an interesting tension. We see this object depicted with meticulous detail in a traditional medium – watercolor – elevating this mass-produced thing. Is it commentary on class, perhaps? Who owned these candlesticks, and what did it mean to own one during those turbulent times? Editor: That’s a crucial consideration. I'm drawn to how Buergerniss employs both watercolor and drawing techniques, like charcoal perhaps. There's such attention paid to the brassy materiality of the candlestick itself, almost reveling in its texture and the play of light upon its surface. Do you think it glorifies everyday labor by highlighting production? Curator: Potentially. It speaks to the inherent worth of such an unassuming object, doesn’t it? There’s an implied warmth associated with a candlestick. Light brings people together and can illuminate, both literally and metaphorically. This speaks to a deeper human need, perhaps a call to preserve warmth and unity. Editor: I'm intrigued by how you’ve located those historical and material values. To me, it’s the subtle gradations of color in the watercolor itself, creating such realistic reflections, which offer quiet dignity to this unassuming object. I’d also want to know how such candlesticks were made. Curator: Ultimately, it leads us to consider art’s ability to render something ordinary extraordinary and full of complex meanings within a certain timeframe, reflecting on its function beyond pure utility. Editor: It definitely illuminates more than just the immediate subject matter. Thanks.