Trunk c. 1936

Curator: Here we have Ferdinand Cartier's "Trunk," a watercolor and drawing created around 1936. The image features a detailed depiction of a leather trunk, along with its opened lid revealing a small red leather pouch. What strikes you initially about it? Editor: It has such a charming, almost storybook quality. The light and color give the trunk a weathered look, but it's rendered so delicately. I'm thinking of faraway journeys, elegant adventures—perhaps a beloved old family heirloom getting dusted off. Curator: The theme here aligns closely with what we term 'intimism,' and this lends insight to its quiet evocation. Cartier uses the watercolor to create depth in texture. The trunk almost suggests a personality of its own. There’s a palpable sense of memory embedded within this commonplace object. Editor: Definitely. See the initials painted onto the front, 'P.M. Hawley'? It personalizes it, giving it history and intimacy. This isn’t just any trunk; it belonged to someone, carried their world across countries, maybe continents. Curator: Absolutely. The objects we own and carry—especially those from our family lineage—often transform into receptacles of lived experiences. The closed trunk could also symbolize secrets, journeys completed, or simply the comfort of possessions that define who we are. Editor: That bright red pouch in the lid, though. What a jolt of excitement amidst all that brown leather! I’m picturing treasured keepsakes, perhaps love letters carefully tucked away. What secrets does it hide? Curator: Red being a color closely associated with the sacred. It evokes concepts of royalty, wealth, passion. Therefore the color choice can function to imply status, and emphasize the precious, private world contained within that interior space. Editor: I suppose it just speaks to that human desire to hold something truly important close—to have our own portable sense of home and identity. Curator: Cartier really captures that essence, doesn't he? It’s an intriguing piece that leaves us to imagine the stories this trunk might tell. Editor: Exactly. You start wondering about its journeys and what those journeys mean.