Sofa c. 1936

Curator: Florence Choate’s watercolor and drawing piece, dating from around 1936, presents a somewhat unassuming subject matter – a sofa. It's a fine example of academic art. Editor: The delicate rendering, the subdued palette... it evokes a sense of quiet domesticity. There’s a wistful feeling too. Almost as if longing for a comfortable respite in a world on the brink of something... perhaps before the storm of WWII? Curator: Absolutely, and one could argue the very act of documenting furniture elevates the everyday object. Consider the design itself, the carved wood detailing atop, and its social context as an object for the home, designed for leisurely conversation. Such an emphasis shifts our gaze to how domestic space shaped the role of women. Editor: Exactly! This is more than a sofa. It becomes a loaded signifier, whispering of gendered expectations within the household. Think of the ‘conversation couches’ of previous eras. In a world increasingly mechanized and industrialized, pieces like this perhaps offer comfort, privacy and status, speaking to a different vision of domestic life. It would be interesting to consider the class implications; what type of house was this sofa intended for? Curator: I agree, by displaying something this domestic and unassuming, we start to probe what "public art" really means and if all artwork ultimately conveys certain forms of value. Who gets to relax here, whose labor went into its production? And does this simple drawing, devoid of human presence, implicitly evoke these questions? Editor: Certainly. Its very stillness prompts inquiry, offering both solace and discomfort. I’m now picturing the ghostly outline of those who may have sat there… it makes you think about how material items contain traces of their users and the social lives those uses enable. Curator: I think you've broadened our view wonderfully! Editor: Thank you, likewise!