Cross 1935 - 1942

Editor: It strikes me as remarkably decorative for such a loaded symbol. Curator: Indeed. We’re looking at Majel Claflin’s "Cross," a watercolor drawing created sometime between 1935 and 1942. Note the interesting interplay between the rigid geometry and the softer watercolor medium. Editor: The stylized floral patterns running along the arms and stem soften that rigid geometry you mentioned. The grey surround almost looks like tooled leather—or metalwork—adding to its tactile dimension. Curator: Precisely! Claflin uses color and form to flatten the image, creating a tension between the three-dimensional form the cross implies, and the artwork’s own surface. The eye dances across planes and textures, yes? Editor: The cross as an archetype carries centuries of weight—sacrifice, redemption, suffering—but these connotations are subtly played down here, aren't they? It seems less a devotional object and more…well, as I said, decorative. Curator: I concur. The visual field is charged with symbolic potential, certainly, but it also highlights its own internal structure. We might also see semiotic relationships at play, undermining traditional associations and offering fresh insights into cultural tropes through sheer formalism. Editor: This tension intrigues me most. Is it an act of reverence through adornment, or does this delicate, patterned treatment inadvertently subvert the gravity of the central motif? The application feels deliberate—almost gently rebellious. Curator: Perhaps the true ingenuity is in this very ambiguity—the refusal to settle on a singular meaning. That Claflin created it during times of turmoil could inform that decision. It provides both comfort and something else…a provocation. Editor: Well, that certainly gives one something to contemplate beyond the visual charm of the work. Curator: Absolutely, and hopefully a renewed appreciation for its delicate balancing act.