Shaker Rug Beater c. 1939

Editor: This is Orville Cline's "Shaker Rug Beater," a mixed-media drawing from around 1939, including watercolor and pencil on paper. There's something quietly powerful about the simplicity of the subject matter. What strikes you about this piece? Curator: I see a visual testament to labor, gendered labor specifically. This humble rug beater, meticulously rendered, invites us to consider the Shaker community's radical approach to equality. How does documenting domestic tools elevate the status of those who wielded them, predominantly women? Editor: So, the act of documenting the beater gives it a new significance, connecting the object to its social context. It feels like a form of recognition, perhaps even resistance, through art. Curator: Precisely! This isn't just an illustration; it's a statement. Think about the period. This was made around the time of the Great Depression, so consider what the piece implies about self-sufficiency and the dignity of simple living at that moment in time. And what do you make of the artist signing his name, legitimizing this artifact of women's work? Editor: That's really interesting - his signing the piece. It's like he’s both recognizing its importance while perhaps inadvertently co-opting the narrative. It also shows the objectification of labour and the act of gendered production. Curator: Exactly! It brings into sharp relief the complex relationships between labor, art, gender, and the male gaze in a seemingly simple drawing. I appreciate you observing those relationships! Editor: This really broadens how I view Cline's work, thinking beyond its literal depiction. I would have viewed this as simply a record of design, prior to our talk. Curator: Indeed. Now, you see that even the quietest image can reverberate with potent social meaning, making us rethink how we encounter labour and value within these intersections.