Vase c. 1936

Lillian Causey made this watercolor drawing of a vase, sometime in the 20th century. It shows the conventions of early modernism, with its streamlined forms and emphasis on the object itself. But we should think about this image beyond questions of style. What was the role of women artists in the early 20th century? A woman who lived to be 100, Causey's life spanned a period of immense change in the social role of women in the United States, and in the professionalization of art. This image may have been made for use in design, or for display as an artwork in its own right. To really understand this image, one would want to research the artist, and the institutions such as art schools, museums, and design firms in which she may have worked. We can understand art as something that is contingent on social and institutional context.