Soup Tureen - "Southern Passaic Falls" c. 1936

This soup tureen depicting "Southern Passaic Falls" was crafted by Helmut Hiatt, featuring detailed landscape imagery and emblematic animal motifs. Dominating the design is the eagle's head, a motif extending from ancient Rome to more recent heraldic emblems, signifying power, victory, and divine authority. Consider the recurrence of this symbol—from the standards of Roman legions to the American presidential seal. The eagle, a symbol of keen sight and freedom, transcends mere representation. Here, the artist taps into a deep well of cultural memory, where the eagle's head transforms this utilitarian object into a statement of prestige. The inclusion of the eagle also evokes a sense of the sublime, especially when paired with a natural scene like Passaic Falls. Think back to the Romantic painters who found the sublime in untamed nature; Hiatt is engaging similar emotional depths, a powerful force engaging viewers on a deep, subconscious level. The symbolic trajectory of the eagle, like a winding river, courses through history, reappearing, evolving, and taking on new meanings in various epochs.