Fruit Dish c. 1936

Helmut Hiatt made this fruit dish, with its monochromatic palette and intricate detailing, sometime between 1855 and 1995. I wonder what Hiatt was thinking, what kind of vibe they were after? The overall effect is one of cool restraint, a silvered surface catching the light, but also something a bit unsettling in the precision of the design. It's as if each stroke, each line was carefully considered, measured, and placed with intention. The central image, framed by the word 'Massachusetts', depicts a figure standing on what seems like the edge of a landscape, a sentinel guarding the fruit, or maybe just the idea of it. And the way the light bounces off those silvered accents around the edge reminds me of other pattern makers, like Charles Burchfield with his wallpaper designs that are both ornamental and psychologically charged. I think the best artists are in constant dialogue with one another across generations, borrowing, responding, and pushing the boundaries of what art can be.