Highboy 1935 - 1942

Curator: I’m really drawn to the slightly wobbly rendering, and its intimate scale. Editor: Indeed, there’s a warmth in this little "Highboy," made with watercolours somewhere between 1935 and 1942 by Isadore Goldberg. Curator: It’s lovely, how the decorative legs almost look like chubby balusters. Are they symbols, or purely ornamental? Editor: Everything speaks. Notice the repetitive bulbous forms of the legs. These "bobbin" turnings, popular in the late 17th century, evolved from medieval architectural supports and could imply ideas about domestic solidity. Curator: So even furniture design holds echoes of past aesthetics? Fascinating, a kind of cultural layering, right? And this is more than just a functional item—it feels ceremonial. All those little knobs that resemble heraldic crests on each drawer, I find this somewhat ironic and amusing. Editor: Irony, definitely. Crests usually signified nobility. But now, this "crestedness" is for domestic usage. I wonder, is it perhaps mocking an elite lifestyle available only for some? I also note the verticality. The chest presses upward, almost aspiring to monumentality, challenging conventional assumptions about space and hierarchy, as domestic objects gain elevated significance. Curator: Almost a subtle jab. This challenges assumptions in many directions, I think. Though petite, the piece commands an assertive presence. I can certainly appreciate an icon with this subtle ambiguity and humor! Editor: Quite so. And even within these muted earth tones, it holds such layers of symbolism. Thank you, Isadore Goldberg, for getting me to see old familiar pieces with completely new eyes. Curator: Definitely something to think about next time you unpack those sweaters.