Brass Candlestick c. 1940

Editor: Here we have Carl Buergerniss's "Brass Candlestick," made around 1940. It's a watercolor and colored pencil drawing, and there's a softness to it, even though it's representing a metal object. The ship enclosed in the circle grabs my attention. What story does this object tell you? Curator: Well, immediately I see a confluence of symbols deeply entrenched in colonial and maritime history. A brass candlestick, in and of itself, represents domesticity and perhaps religious observance. But then we have this ship, almost like a proud emblem encased within a nautical rope. It forces us to question, doesn't it? Who benefitted from maritime trade in the 1940s? Editor: It does complicate things! The ship seems so celebratory, but now I’m wondering about the legacy of colonialism and trade… was this candlestick intended as a commemoration, or perhaps something more ambiguous? Curator: Exactly. We have to consider the narratives being upheld and those being silenced. For whom was this object created? Was it a nostalgic piece romanticizing a colonial past? And what does the absence of human figures, besides the implied sailors, tell us? How might the global conflicts raging in 1940 influence how we see an artwork showing a ship of trade and travel? Editor: I didn't initially consider the wartime context, but that adds another layer to it. It's not just about trade; it could also be about the movement of people, and potentially even conflict. Curator: Precisely. Consider how even seemingly innocuous domestic objects can be embedded with complex political and historical significance, prompting conversations around power, identity, and representation. What might this mean for how we study and view decorative arts, moving forward? Editor: I'll definitely look at these types of objects differently from now on. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. It's through this type of critical questioning that we unearth the hidden narratives within art.