Water Barrel or Runlet c. 1937

Curator: Looking at this work, I immediately think of stillness. The composition feels very self-contained and silent. Editor: And that feeling certainly aligns with the title of this rather humble still life, "Water Barrel or Runlet." We see it represented in watercolor, pencil, and charcoal drawing by Dana Bartlett around 1937. Curator: Water is such a fundamental element, a giver of life, and in folklore, it often stands for the unconscious. Representing a water barrel in this style, it almost feels like Bartlett is asking us to pause and consider the simplest vessels of sustenance and the precious resource they contain. Editor: He seems also very conscious of the way class is encoded. Everyday items can gain iconographic importance when represented artistically and hung in specific settings. One can see this runlet fitting in both the kitchens and halls of different kinds of estates. Curator: It’s curious how the texture and light are captured. Notice the concentric circles of the wooden end and then compare it to the shadowy bands around the sides. The materiality comes across beautifully, yet there’s also a subtle, dreamlike quality to the overall rendering. Editor: And I would guess Bartlett did not choose just any object. Runlets are often mentioned in documents that talk of workers in the early to mid 20th century. So while modest and unassuming, this illustration allows for thinking about both wealth and those who produced it in that moment of economic turmoil in the U.S. Curator: Seeing how a simple, functional object can reflect so much… it really opens up questions of what we choose to memorialize, doesn’t it? What meaning is embedded in everyday things? Editor: Absolutely. This work is a compelling reminder that art isn't just about grand narratives, it's about the stories held within the mundane.