Silver Cup c. 1938

Edward Jewett made this silver cup which is a watercolor, gouache, and graphite on paper. The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw a burgeoning middle class in America, eager to display its newfound prosperity through decorative arts and finery. Silverware, like this cup, became a symbol of status and taste. What does it mean to create an image of an object of status? Is it a form of reverence, desire, or a critical appraisal of a culture of excess? Consider the labor and resources required to produce such an object, and the social hierarchies that it represents. How do you think ideas of class and aspiration intersect with this artistic depiction of material wealth? The image becomes a space for reflection on these societal values.