Plate Warmer c. 1936

Curator: Here we have Richard Schoene’s drawing of a plate warmer, dating to about 1936. It's rendered with colored pencils, quite delicately, I think. What's your first take on this piece? Editor: Stark! Utilitarian. My first impression is that it appears almost anthropomorphic, like a solemn little metal robot standing guard. It's charming and a little sad, somehow. What’s the symbolism you read into this? Curator: I’m interested in the implied warmth, right? The purpose of this object is to bring comfort, ensure the food is presented just so. It speaks of hospitality, and perhaps a specific moment in time when the rituals of dining were particularly valued. I can almost smell the Sunday roast... or is it my own domestic longings leaking through? Editor: Absolutely, that symbolism is palpable. Food and gathering are universal—and Schoene is keying into something fundamental about how we connect. But what fascinates me is the visual echo of earlier forms: the legs reminiscent of Baroque furniture, the container echoing ancient vessels... Does the shape point back to some shared ancestral memory of the hearth, I wonder? Curator: I love that you're seeing these historical resonances! And there is a funny juxtaposition happening. On the one hand, we have a domestic object rendered with immense care and artistry, a celebration of home life, while, on the other hand, the metal material is rather unforgiving... there’s also the melancholy inherent in the still life genre that I can’t escape. Editor: The muted palette does enhance that melancholy mood. I keep coming back to this vessel-like form—its hollowness suggests a void to be filled, and the "warmth" it's designed to contain seems like a tender attempt to ward off some deeper chill. Curator: You are right. And while my first thought went to warm food and cozy dinner parties, you bring us back to the symbolism that is quite interesting. I was only thinking about function... maybe this lovely plate warmer makes me feel too sentimental. Thank you. Editor: I hope it does! We need art to make us sentimental every once in a while, and what better way to tap into that part of us? Thank you.