Pitcher 1935 - 1942

Curator: Editor: This is Isidore Steinberg’s "Pitcher," created sometime between 1935 and 1942, rendered in drawing and tempera. There's an almost tactile quality to it, especially with the swirled design of the pitcher itself. What can you tell me about it? Curator: This work raises fascinating questions about value and labor. What kind of status does Steinberg assign to this object by depicting it? It is seemingly mundane and commercially produced. Is it being elevated to something 'fine' here through his precise work with tempera, a common choice during the 1930s and 40s as the Works Progress Administration put artists to work creating materials for everyday American life? Editor: So, the context of the WPA is important here; a drawing of everyday glassware as a reflection on labor. I hadn’t thought about that. Curator: Exactly. The pitcher itself becomes a testament to material production during this era. Consider, too, the specific qualities of tempera: its quick-drying nature demands a specific method from the artist, which inevitably influences the image. Does the medium speak to an imperative towards a functionalist aesthetic as much as the image? Editor: That’s a great point. Tempera gives it a distinct, almost flat appearance compared to, say, oil paint. It removes any kind of romantic depth. The piece feels deliberately utilitarian in style. Curator: Yes! It forces us to contemplate the artist's process. The question then becomes: what meaning can be found in representing an ordinary, manufactured object through this equally pragmatic process of tempera on paper? Is he simply interested in representing life around him or to question the meaning and values of a nation caught between a devastating financial depression and an all-consuming world war? Editor: That completely reframes how I see this drawing! I was so caught up in the image that I didn’t even consider what its creation says about labor, and artistic labor in particular. Curator: Material consideration of the process changes the perspective and enriches the viewing experience, doesn't it?