Drop Leaf Table 1936

Editor: We are looking at Frank Wenger’s "Drop Leaf Table," a drawing in pencil and watercolor from 1936. It’s interesting how a simple piece of furniture can be so evocative. I keep thinking of my grandmother's house for some reason, what do you see when you look at this? Curator: This makes me consider craftsmanship and the humble beauty of everyday objects. Wenger elevates what might seem mundane into something worthy of artistic study. It's a meditation on form and function. Editor: So, you're seeing beauty in the mundane, huh? I was also wondering, does this emphasis on the everyday have anything to do with the time period? Curator: Precisely. 1936 was smack-dab in the middle of the Depression. Art began looking inwards. I suspect he found a sense of stability in representing simple objects, beautifully, in an unstable world. What do you make of the precision, the draftsmanship here? Editor: Well, it looks pretty realistic; almost like a photograph but with the softness of drawing materials. I appreciate the delicate wood grain. Curator: I feel Wenger intended to do more than record appearances. The precise depiction encourages contemplation. There is warmth in this depiction that contrasts so much with how we generally experience such items. You sense love and intention went into this rendering. It really invites a second, and even third look. Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't fully considered – the artist’s "love letter" to utility and craftsmanship. Now, I want to call my grandma. Thanks for sharing your insights. Curator: The pleasure's all mine. Perhaps, we've both been reminded of the quiet poetry of ordinary things.