Brooch and Earrings c. 1936

Editor: This piece, titled "Brooch and Earrings," was designed by Kurt Melzer around 1936. The work appears to be a design study rendered in watercolor, showcasing a suite of jewelry. The meticulous details feel really elegant and somewhat old-fashioned. What strikes you most about it? Curator: Oh, I'm drawn to the duality present here. Look at the way the artist juxtaposes the fully rendered designs alongside the more schematic outlines. It’s as if Melzer is inviting us into his creative process. The watercolor work has a depth that feels both precious and intimate; can you see how the jewelry almost shimmers on the page, as if catching the light? Then he dares to expose the bones of design through those outlined sketches nearby. Editor: That's a great point about the exposed creative process. I was so focused on the completed designs. And there are elements of art deco in that brooch, aren't there? Curator: Absolutely. It echoes a time when jewellery moved away from ornate ostentation. Designers favored bold, streamlined geometries paired with exquisite craft. Melzer perfectly captures the epoch's love of mixing modernity and refined sensibility. Tell me, when looking at this piece, can you imagine the fashionable lady who might wear this brooch or those earrings? What is your sense of her personality? Editor: Someone very confident and independent... with a slight air of mystery! I hadn't really thought about that before. Curator: It is transformative when art prompts you to look not just at a picture, but beyond, toward who and why it was envisioned! Editor: Definitely! I’ll remember to keep this perspective in mind. Thank you for sharing that, it’s enriched my appreciation for design!