Wall Clock c. 1936

Editor: This drawing, entitled "Wall Clock" by Albert Camilli, dated around 1936, is quite intriguing. It is crafted with pencil and coloured pencil. The mood is strangely unsettling for such a mundane object. What do you see in this piece that maybe I am missing? Curator: It’s a fascinating drawing, isn’t it? It’s so seemingly ordinary. Let’s consider the socio-political context of the 1930s. This was the era of the Great Depression. Time, regimented by objects like this clock, takes on a different resonance during periods of economic hardship and social upheaval. Do you think this resonates with the era? Editor: I see what you mean. There’s a sort of domesticity in the depiction of the clock itself. It's also strange that it does not appear to be hung on a wall, but more in front of the curtain as if it were on display. Curator: Exactly. That's why I focus my thinking on the fact it isn't where a clock should typically be. Now, what if this image suggests the constructed nature of domesticity itself? The clock then becomes a symbol not just of time, but of the expectations placed on individuals within a specific socio-economic structure. Do you notice the framing device within the frame: the clock's casing echoes a window, and that it contains flowers like a view to the outside. Editor: That makes sense! It's like the artwork is subtly questioning the time management for life itself. So we might view Camilli's clock as an observation on, maybe even resistance against the temporal demands placed upon people. Thank you, I didn’t pick up on any of this before. Curator: It's all about how we read the visual cues in the drawing to unravel hidden meanings. Always remember that a pencil line can contain volumes when viewed in the right historical light.