Silver Porringer c. 1936

Editor: Here we have Hester Duany’s "Silver Porringer," created around 1936. It's a drawing done with pencil on paper. It strikes me as quite simple in form, but the detailing on the handle is lovely. How do you interpret this drawing? Curator: What stands out to me is its function as a record. Consider how such objects reflected societal hierarchies. Silverware, in particular, represented wealth and status. Duany meticulously documents this porringer, imbuing the object with meaning tied to gendered roles in the domestic sphere and social class. The work invites discussion about access, privilege, and material culture. Editor: That’s a good point, especially about it being a record. Why do you think she chose to draw it rather than, say, photograph it? Curator: Photography offers immediate visual information, while a drawing requires interpretation and, more importantly, intervention. This process embeds Duany’s perspective in the work. What if Duany aims for a nuanced investigation into the role of silverware and other decorative objects? Perhaps it’s a method to investigate how cultural history is produced? Editor: That gives me a lot to think about, seeing it as a deliberate act of interpretation. Thank you for making me see the layers beneath its simple appearance! Curator: Absolutely! It demonstrates how even seemingly mundane objects can reveal profound narratives about social structures and individual experiences, making us interrogate who benefits from their perpetuation.